Constellations- The Existing Fantasy by Darani Vasudevan

Constellation â&#x20AC;&#x201C; The Existing Fantasy

Darani Vasudevan

Preface, The night sky is decorated by stars: pleasing and admiring sources. But when we observe them closely they form certain patterns referred to as constellations. Our ancestors presented this existing wonder to us along with some mythologies. This book deals with 88 modern constellations along with their specific characteristics and mythologies. Hope you will enjoy turning the pages!! - V. Darani M.Sc., M.Phil., SET

A constellation is a group of stars that appears to form a pattern. The word constellation is derived from the Latin term “Tardio constellatio” which means “Set of stars.” Each constellation is a collection of stars that are distributed in space in 3 dimensions. The stars in a constellation appear to be in the same plane because we are viewing them from very far away. Not all stars form part of a constellation; only a fraction of them form constellations. Sometimes the pattern is imaginary. When the sky is clear, these stars can be seen from earth without the use of telescope. The name is usually given based on the shape made by the brightest stars within the constellation.

Sometimes

there

smaller

shape

distinguishable within the constellation that is also given a name, this is known as an asterism. 48 of the modern 88 constellations recognized today were named in the ancient Greece. Constellation is a Latin word meaning “set with stars.” Before the invention of compass, people used the stars to navigate mainly while sailing across the ocean. They used a constellation called the Ursa Minor to identify the location of North star (Polaris). This allowed them to

calculate their latitude and work out which direction they were travelling in. The constellations were used in ancient times to help keep track of the calendar. The largest constellation by area is Hydra which is 3.16% of the sky. The smallest is Crux which only takes up 0.17% of the sky. The names of 22 different constellations begin with the letter C. Farmers were the first to use the constellations. In some areas the changing of seasons was so subtle that the farmers depended on the stars to know when it was time to plant and when the perfect time for harvest. The stars are broken up into groups, namely Northern constellations and Southern constellations. The 21 Northern constellations are Andromeda, Aquila, Auriga, Bootes, Cassiopeia, Cepheus, Corona Borealis, Cygnus, Delphinus, Draco, Equuleus, Hercules, Lyra, Ophiuchus, Pegasus, Perseus, Sagitta, Serpens, Triangulum, Ursa Major and Ursa Minor. The 15 southern constellations are Ara, Argo, Navis, Canis Major, Canis Minor, Centaurus, Cetus, Corona australis,

Cornus, Crater, Eridanus, Hydra, Lepus, Lupus, Orion and Pisces austrinus. Zodiac is the area of the sky that includes the apparent paths of the sun, moon and planets. Astrology also has its own set of 12 Zodiac constellations. They are Aries, Aquarius, cancer, capricornus, Gemini, leo, libra, pisces, Sagittarius, scorpius, Taurus and virgo. The Greeks are responsible for naming the constellations. These names came from their mythological heroes and legends. The big and little dippers are considered asterisms. The plough, for example (also known as the Big Dipper or King Charles‟ Wain) is a pattern of seven stars within the constellations of Ursa Major. In the southern hemisphere, five stars comprise the Southern Cross, an asterism within the constellation of crux. In Sagittarius there is a famous „teapot‟ asterism inside which lies the location of the centre of our milky way galaxy. The Greeks and Romans first recognized and named the constellations of the northern hemisphere. The first list of constellations appeared in Greek- Egyptian astronomer Claudius Ptolemaeus‟ (Ptolemy) 2nd century Almagest,

which was his treatise on the apparent motions of stars and planets. Arabs were the first to name the individual stars. Islamic scholars were the first to systematically map the skies. Eg: Aldebaran, Alcor, Altair, Algol. The prefix „Al‟ is an indication of an Islamic name which means „the.‟ Archaeological studies have identified possible astronomical markings painted on the walls in the cave system at Lascaux in Southern France. Our ancestors may have recorded their view of the night sky on the walls of their cave some 17300 years ago. It is thought that Pleiades star cluster is represented alongside the nearby cluster of the Hyades was the first ever depiction of a star pattern made over 17 millennia ago. Each night more stars and constellations begin to appear in the eastern part of the sky at dusk before moving across and disappearing over the western horizon by dawn. The constellations which appear in the east have a daily shift rate close to one degree per day as completing a 360 degrees circular journey around the sun in 365 days produces roughly that rate. One full year later, the stars subsequently return to the same position and rising time as the year before.

The direction in which the constellations appear to rotate in the night sky is determined by the Earthâ&#x20AC;&#x;s rotation, as well as the direction in which an observer is facing. Looking north, the constellations appear to rotate counter clockwise around a fixed point in the night sky (the north celestial pole). This is because the Earth spinning from west to east means the ground beneath us is rotating to our right, while above us the stars appear to follow an East to west direction. If we face south, the stars would seem to revolve in a clockwise direction (left to right); while a person facing east would see stars coming up in front of them and setting behind them. A west facing observer will see the stars appearing to rise behind them before setting to their front. A constellation family refers to a group of constellations located within the same region of the night sky. This includes the Hercules family (19), the Ursa major family (10), the Perseus family (9) and Orion family (5). Ursa major family: Ursa major, Ursa minor, Draco, Canes venatici, Bootes, Coma Berenices, Corona Borealis, Camelopardalis, Lynx, Leo minor.

Perseus family: Cassipeia, Cepheus, Andromeda, Perseus, Pegasus, cetus, Auriga, Lacerta, Triangulum. Orion family: Orion, Canis major, canis minor, lepus and monoceros. Hercules family: Hercules, sagitta, Aquila, Lyra, Cygnus, vulpecula, Hydra, Sextans, Crater, Corvus, Ophiuchus, Serpens, Scutum, Centaurus, Lupus, Corona Australis, Ara, Triangulum Australe and Crux. Heavenly water family of constellations: Delphinus, carina, Columba, Equuleus, Eridanus, Piscis Austrinus, Puppis, Pyxis and Vela. Centaurus contains the largest number of visible stars. Canis major contains the brightest star in the celestial heavens namely Sirius. Mensa is the faintest constellation in the night sky. In the 8th century BC, Homer wrote about Orion, Bootes and Ursa major in his poem Illiad and the odyssey. This was the first Greek reference to constellations. Constellations viewed from the southern hemisphere appear upside down compared to the northern hemisphere. The

zodiac signs are derived from the constellations that mark out the ecliptic- the path on which the sun, moon and planets appear to follow across the sky over the duration of a year. The ecliptic passes through 13 constellations but astrologers use only 12 (omitting ophiuchus). The international Astronomical union (IAU) gave an official 3-letter abbreviation for constellations. There are 88 official constellations.

Name: Andromeda Meaning: Princess of Ethiopia IAU abbreviation: And Location: North of the celestial equator; prominent during autumn evenings in Northern hemisphere Brightest star: Alpha Andromedae Speciality: It is the 19th largest constellation occupying an area of 722 square degrees. The constellation is associated with the Andromedids meteor shower (Bielids). The parent

body of the Andromedids is Bielaâ&#x20AC;&#x;s comet, a periodic comet first recorded in 1772. The number of main stars is 16. Mythology: The story of Andromeda, daughter of King Cepheus and Queen Cassiopeia, of Ethiopia, brings together many notable names of legend. Her mother's boastfulness and pride greatly angered the sea gods and this resulted in Andromeda being sacrificed in order to appease them. Knowing full well that she would be at the mercy of the sea monster, Cetus, the King and Queen allowed their young daughter to be chained to a rock on a cliff overlooking the sea. However fate, in the person of Perseus, intervened. Riding home on the winged horse Pegasus, he heard Andromeda's screams as Cetus approached her. Holding high the head of Medusa (see legend of perseus) he charged towards the monster who was instantly turned to stone as he looked upon the severed head. Taking great care to prevent Andromeda from looking at the head, he then released her from her chains. The young couple immediately fell in love and, as Perseus had just saved their daughter's life, Cepheus and Cassiopeia readily consented to their marriage.

Name: Antlia Meaning: Air pump IAU abbreviation: Ant Location: Southern celestial hemisphere Brightest star: Alpha Antliae Speciality: The French astronomer Nicolas Louis de Lacaille first described the constellation in French as La machine pneumatique commemorating the air pump

invented by Denis Papin, a French physicist. It ranks 62nd by area and it covers an area of 238.9 square degrees.

Name: Apus Meaning: Bird of Paradise IAU abbreviation: Aps Location: Southern celestial hemisphere Brightest star: Alpha Apodis Speciality: It was one of the 12 constellations published by Petrus Plancius from the observations of Pieter Dirkszoon Keyser and Frederick de Houtman who had sailed on the first Dutch trading expedition known as the Eerste schipvaart, to the East indies. It ranks 67 th in area and covers an area of 206.3 square degrees. The name means

â&#x20AC;&#x153;without feetâ&#x20AC;? in Greek because the bird of Paradise was once believed to lack feet.

Name: Aquaris â&#x2122;&#x2019; Meaning: Water bearer IAU abbreviation: Aqr Location: Southern Hemisphere Brightest star: Beta Aquarii Speciality: It is one among the Zodiac constellations. The constellation is situated between capricornus and pisces. It is one of the 48 constellations listed by Ptolemy in 2 nd century AD. It is the 10th largest constellation and covers an area of

980 square degrees. The meteor showers associated with this constellation are March aquariids, Eta aquariids, Delta aquariids and lota aquariids. It is a big constellation and has been associated with water. It is located in the region of the sky sometimes called the sea. This part of the sky looks dark and deep. One can see cetus (whale), pisces (fish), Eridanus (River) and Piscis Austrinus (Southern fish) in this region. The brightest star in this watery region of the sky is Fomalhaut in Piscis Austrinus. The constellation is usually portrayed as a man pouring a stream of water into the mouth of the southern fish. Mythology: Aquarius is depicted as a young man pouring water (or alternatively, nectar) from an amphora into the mouth of the Southern Fish, represented by the constellation Piscis Austrinus. Aquarius is usually associated with Ganymede, the son of King Tros, in Greek mythology. Ganymede was a beautiful Trojan youth who caught Zeusâ&#x20AC;&#x; eye, which prompted the god to disguise himself as an eagle (represented by the Constellation Aquila) and carry him off to Olympus to serve as cup-bearer to the gods. In a different story, the

constellation represents Deucalion, son of Prometheus, who survived the great flood along with his wife Pyrrha. In Babylonian mythology, Aquarius is identified as GU.LA (the great one), the god Ea himself and, in Egyptian tales, the constellation was said to represent the god of the Nile. Greek mythology associates Aquarius with the deluge that wiped out all of humanity except for Deucalion and his wife Pyrrha. Zeus, the king of the gods, unleashed the flood to punish people for their misdeeds, and advised the virtuous Deucalion to save himself by building an ark. This tale of divine retribution strongly parallels the story of the great flood in the Old Testament. In ancient Egypt, the constellation Aquarius represented Hapi, the god of the Nile River. This benevolent god distributed the waters of life, and the urn symbolized a fount of good fortune. It‟s this association that explains why the Water Bearer is often seen holding the Norma Nilotica – a rod for measuring the depth of the Nile River. Also, the names of Aquarius‟ two brightest stars – Sadalmelik and Sadalsuud – reaffirm the idea of providence. The names are

thought to mean lucky one of the king and luckiest of the lucky.

Name: Aquila Meaning: Eagle IAU abbreviation: Aql Location: Northern Sky near celestial equator Brightest star: Altair (it is one vertex of the Summer triangle Asterism) Speciality: It represents the bird that carried Zeus/ Jupiterâ&#x20AC;&#x;s thunderbolts in Greek mythology. It covers an area of 652 square degrees and ranks 22nd in area. It is best seen

in the northern summer as it is located along the milky way. Three interesting planetary nebulae lie in Aquila. They are NGC 6804, NGC 6781 ad NGC 6751. It is one of the 48 constellations listed by Ptolemy. Two major novae have been observed in Aquila. The first one was in 389 AD and was recorded to be as bright as Venus. The other in 1918. Mythology: In Greek mythology, Aquila is identified as the eagle that carried Zeusâ&#x20AC;&#x; thunderbolts and was once dispatched by the god to carry Ganymede, the young Trojan boy Zeus desired, to Olympus to be the cup bearer of the gods. Ganymede is represented by the neighbouring constellation Aquaris In another story, the eagle is found guarding the arrow of Eros (represented by the constellation Sagitta), which hit Zeus and made him love-struck. In yet another myth, Aquila represents Aphrodite disguised as an eagle, pretending to pursue Zeus in the form of a swan, so that Zeusâ&#x20AC;&#x; love interest, the goddess Nemesis, would give him shelter. In the story, Zeus later placed the images of the

eagle and the swan among the stars to commemorate the event.

Name: Ara Meaning: Altar IAU abbreviation: Ara Location: Southern Celestial hemisphere Brightest star: Beta Arae Speciality: It is one of the 48 constellations listed by Ptolemy. It ranks 63rd in size and covers an area of 237.1 square degrees. The northwest corner of Ara is crossed by

the galactic plane of the milky way and contains several open clusters and diffuse nebulae. Mythology: The constellation represents the altar used by Zeus and other Greek gods to swear a vow of allegiance before they went to war against Cronus and the Titans. There are several myths associated with the constellation. In one of them, Ara represents the altar on which Zeus and other gods vowed to defeat the Titans and overthrow Cronus, who ruled the universe. Cronus was one of the 12 Titans who had deposed his father Uranus, the previous ruler. When a prophecy said that the same fate would befall Cronus and he would be defeated by one of his own children, to prevent it from happening, he swallowed all his children â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Hestia, Demeter, Hera, Hades, and Poseidon â&#x20AC;&#x201C; all of them future gods and goddesses. When the youngest child, Zeus, was born, his mother Rhea hid him in Crete and gave Cronus a stone to swallow, telling him the stone was Zeus.

When Zeus grew up, he made Cronus vomit his brothers and sisters. Once freed, they swore to overthrow Cronus and the Titans. The war between the gods and the Titans lasted a decade and the gods won in the end. Zeus became the god of the sky, Poseidon became the god of the sea, and Hades the ruler of the underworld. Zeus placed the altar among the stars to commemorate the godsâ&#x20AC;&#x; victory. In another story, Ara represents the altar of Lycaon, the king of Arcadia who decided to test Zeus by serving him a meal of a dismembered child, and later tried to kill the god while he slept. Zeus, enraged, transformed Lycaon into a wolf and killed his 50 sons with lightning bolts. In one version of the tale, the sacrificed child was Arcas, the son of Zeus and Lycaonâ&#x20AC;&#x;s daughter Callisto

Name: Aries â&#x2122;&#x2C6; Meaning: Ram IAU abbreviation: Ari Location: Northern celestial hemisphere Brightest star: Hamal Speciality: It is one among the Zodiac constellations. It is one of the 48 constellations listed by Ptolemy. It represents a Ramâ&#x20AC;&#x;s horn. It ranks 39th in size and covers an area of 441square degrees. The meteor showers associated with this

constellation are may arietids, autumn arietids, delta arietids, epsilon arietids, daytime arietids and Aries triangulids. Mythology: Babylonians identified Aries as the agrarian worker, the last stop on the ecliptic. The name of the constellation later changed to Ram, but why Babylonians changed it is uncertain. In the 7th century BC, NeoBabylonians did a revision of the Babylonian zodiac that placed Alpha Arietis, Hamal, very close to the vernal equinox, which is how Aries came to be so prominent among the zodiac signs in astrology. In those times, Aries contained the equinox, the point at which the Sun crosses the celestial equator from north to south. Because of precession (slow wobble of Earthâ&#x20AC;&#x;s axis), the vernal equinox is no longer in Aries, but in Pisces. In 130 BC, however, it was located just south of Gamma Arietis (Mesarthim) and was taken to be the starting point of the zodiac. In Greek myth, Aries is identified with the golden ram that rescued Phrixus and took him to Colchis, where he sacrificed the ram to the gods. The ramâ&#x20AC;&#x;s skin that he placed

in a temple was the Golden Fleece, which later appears in the story of Jason and the Argonauts. Phrixus was the son of a Boeotian king. He had a twin sister, Helle. The children had a stepmother, Ino, who hated them and wanted to get rid of them. She came up with a plan to put the land of the brink of famine by making sure the wheat crops failed. When a man was sent to consult the Oracle at Delphi, Ino bribed him to lie and say the Oracle asked for the kingâ&#x20AC;&#x;s children to be sacrificed if they did not want the people to starve. Phrixus and Helle were about to die when a winged ram with golden wool came to their rescue. The ram was sent by their real mother, the cloud nymph Nephele. It took both children and flew east to Colchis. Only Phrixus survived the journey. Helle fell off the ram and drowned in the Dardanelles. The strait was later renamed to Hellespont, or sea of Helle, in her memory. Phrixus was welcomed by King Aeetes of Colchis, to whom he presented the Golden Fleece. In return, the king gave Phrixus his daughter Chalciopeâ&#x20AC;&#x;s hand.

Name: Auriga Meaning: Charioteer IAU abbreviation: Aur Location: north of the celestial equator; it is most prominent

during

winter

evenings

the

northern

hemisphere. Brightest star: Capella Speciality: The first record of Aurigaâ&#x20AC;&#x;s stars was in Mesopotamia as a constellation called GAM representing a

scimitar or crook. It is the 21st biggest constellation and covers an area of 657 square degrees. Mythology: Auriga is usually depicted as a charioteer, holding the reins of a chariot with his right hand and carrying a goat and its two young on his left arm. Even though the image of the charioteer appears in Johann Bodeâ&#x20AC;&#x;s Uranographia (1801), none of the stories Auriga is usually associated with have a goat in them. In mythology, Auriga is most frequently identified with Erichthonius, king of Athens and son of the fire god Hephaestus. Erichthonius was raised by the goddess Athena, who taught him many skills he wouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x;t have ordinarily learned. He was the first man to tame and harness four horses to a chariot, imitating the chariot of the Sun god. Zeus was impressed and later placed Erichthonius among the stars. Erichthonius is usually credited for the invention of the fourhorse chariot, the quadriga. In another myth, Auriga represents Hephaestus himself, the lame god, who built the chariot so that he could travel

anywhere he wanted, whenever he wanted, without difficulty. In another popular myth, the charioteer is Myrtilus, son of Hermes, who served King Oenomaus of Pisa. Oenomaus had a beautiful daughter, Hippodamia, and was determined not to give her hand away to any of her suitors. He would challenge each of them to a chariot race. If he caught up with them before they arrived to Corinth, he would kill them. With Myrtilus driving the king‟s chariot, none of Hippodamia‟s suitors survived the race until Pelops, son of Tantalus, came to ask the king for his daughter‟s hand. Hippodamia fell in love with Pelops at first sight and asked Myrtilus to let him win. The charioteer, who was himself in love with the king‟s daughter, obeyed and tampered with the chariot‟s wheels. During the race, the wheels fell off and King Oenomaus was thrown off the chariot and killed. Once Pelops had won the race, he cast his rival Myrtilus into the sea. Betrayed, Myrtilus cursed the house of Pelops before he drowned. It was Myrtilus‟ father Hermes who placed his son‟s image among the stars.

The star Capella, Alpha Aurigae, is associated with Amalthea, the goat who was foster-mother to Zeus. The name Capella is Roman and means “she-goat.” The star is located on the Charioteer‟s left shoulder.

Name: Bootes Meaning: Herdsman IAU abbreviation: Boo Location: Northern hemisphere Brightest star: Arcturus (the 4th brightest star in the night sky) Speciality: The herdsman can be seen driving his great plow, the big dipper, in a great circle around the north star, Polaris, along with his two trusted hunting dogs which are

represented by the constellation Canes Venatici on his right flank. Bootes stands proudly next to three constellations. Hercules and Corona Borealis (on left) and Virgo (below). It ranks 43rd in size and covers an area of 907 square degrees. Mythology: Bootes is traditionally depicted as a herdsman with two hunting dogs on a leash and a club in his other hand. In the sky, BoĂśtes follows Ursa Major around the pole. In one story, the constellation represents a ploughman driving the oxen in the Ursa Major constellation, followed by his two dogs, Asterion and Chara (represented by the constellation Canes Venatici, the hunting dogs). The ploughmanâ&#x20AC;&#x;s oxen are tied to the polar axis and their movement keeps the skies in constant rotation Most commonly, Bootes is taken to represent Arcas, son of Zeus and Callisto, daughter of the Arcadian king Lycaon. Arcas was brought up by his grandfather, the king, who one day decided to test Zeus by serving him his own son for a meal.

Zeus,

however,

saw

through

Lycaon‟s

intentions,

transformed the cruel king into a wolf, killed all his sons with thunderbolts, and brought Arcas back to life. Zeus‟ wife Hera, having heard of her husband‟s infidelity, transformed Callisto into a bear. Callisto roamed the woods until years later she met her son, who was now grown up. Arcas didn‟t recognize his mother and began to chase her. Callisto hid herself in a temple, where he could not hurt her without risking being convicted to death for defiling a sacred place. To avoid a tragedy, Zeus placed both of them in the sky; Callisto as Ursa Major and Arcas as Boötes. In another story, Bootes is taken to represent Icarius, a grape grower who once invited Dionysus to visit his vineyards. The god was so impressed that he gave Icarius the secret of making wine. Icarius followed the recipe and enjoyed the beverage so much that he invited all his friends to try it. They, however, enjoyed it a bit too much and, when they woke up the next day with bad hangovers, they assumed Icarius had tried to poison them. Angry, they decided to murder him in his sleep. Dionysus was saddened by the death of his friend and decided to place Icarius among the

stars. In another myth, Boรถtes is credited for inventing the plough, which prompted the goddess Ceres to place him in the heavens.

Name: Caelum Meaning: Graving tool IAU abbreviation: cae Location: Southern sky Brightest star: Alpha caeli Speciality: It is a faint constellation and was created by the French astronomer Nicolas Louis de Lacaille in the 18 th century. It ranks 81st in size and covers an area of 125 square degree.

Name: Camelopardalis Meaning: Giraffe IAU abbreviation: Cam Location: Northern hemisphere Brightest star: Beta camelopardalis Speciality: The constellation was created by the Dutch astronomer Petrus plancius and documented by the Greek Astronomer Jakob Bartsch in 1624. It is 18th largest by area and covers an area of 757 square degrees. The meteor

shower associated with this constellation is October camelopardalids.

Name: Cancer â&#x2122;&#x2039; Meaning: Crab IAU abbreviation: Cnc Location: Northern celestial hemisphere Brightest star: Beta cancri Speciality: It is one of the 12 zodiac constellations. Cancer is bordered by Gemini to the west, Lynx to the north, Leo to the east and Hydra to the south. It is one of the 48

constellations listed by Ptolemy. It is the 31st largest constellation and covers an area of 506 square degrees. Mythology: In mythology, Cancer is associated with the crab in the story of the Twelve Labours of Heracles (represented by the Hercules constellation). In the myth, Hera sends the crab to distract Hercules while the hero is fighting the Lernaean Hydra, the serpent-like beast with many heads and poisonous breath, represented by Hydra constellation. When the crab tries to kill Hercules, Hercules kicks it all the way to the stars. In another version, the crab gets crushed instead and Hera, a sworn enemy of Hercules, places it in the sky for its efforts. However, she places the crab in a region of the sky that has no bright stars, because despite its efforts, the crab was not successful in accomplishing the task.

Name: Canes venatici Meaning: Hunting dogs IAU abbreviation: cVn Location: Northern hemisphere Brightest star: Cor caroli Speciality: It is often depicted in illustrations as representing the dogs of Bootes. Meteor shower associated with this constellation is Canes venaticids. It is the 38th largest constellation and covers an area of 465 square

degree. Ptolemy included the stars of Canes Venatici in the constellation Ursa Major as unformed but was introduced in 1687 by Polish astronomer Johannes Hevelius.

Name: Canis major Meaning: Big dog IAU abbreviation: cMa Location: Southern Hemisphere Brightest star: Sirius (The brightest star in the night sky known as the dog star. It is bright because of its proximity to the solar system) Speciality: Canis major represents the bigger dog following Orion, the hunter in Greek mythology. The dog is

often depicted pursuing a hare, represented by the constellation Lepus. The constellation s depicted as a dog standing on its hind legs, pursuing a hare (lepus). It ranks 43rd in size and covers an area of 380 square degrees. The milky way passes through Canis major and sever open clusters lie within its borders. It is one of the 48 constellations listed by Ptolemy. Mythology: In mythology, Canis Major is associated with Laelaps, the fastest dog in the world, one destined to catch anything it pursued. Zeus gave Laelaps to Europa as a present, along with a javelin that could not miss. The gift proved to be an unfortunate one, as Europa herself was killed accidentally by her husband Cephalus, who was out hunting with the javelin. Cephalus took the dog to Thebes in Boeotia (a Greek province north of Athens) to hunt down a fox that was causing some trouble there. Like Laelaps, the fox was extremely fast and was destined never to be caught. Once the dog found the fox and started chasing it, the race did not appear to have an end in sight. Zeus himself finally ended it

and turned both animals to stone. He placed the dog in the night sky as the constellation Canis Major.

Name: Canis minor Meaning: Little dog IAU abbreviation: cMi Location: Northern hemisphere Brightest star: Procyon (7th brightest constellation in the sky); Procyon is a part of the winter triangle asterism, along with Sirius in canis major and Betelgeuse in the orion. Speciality: It is one of the 48 constellations listed by Ptolemy. It represents one of the dogs following Orion, the

hunter in Greek mythology. It ranks 71st in size and covers an area of 183 square degrees. The ancient Egyptians thought this constellation as Aubis, the jackal god. The constellation Monoceros lies between Canis major and Canis minor. Mythology: Canis Minor is most commonly identified as one of the dogs following Orion, the hunter in Greek myth. In another legend, the constellation is said to represent Maera, dog of the unlucky wine-maker Icarius, who was killed by his friends after they had mistaken drunkenness for a murder attempt, thinking Icarius had tried to poison them. (They had never tasted wine before.) Maera, Icariusâ&#x20AC;&#x; dog, found his body and ran to his daughter Erigone. Both the daughter and the dog were overwhelmed with grief and took their own lives. Erigone hanged herself and the dog jumped off a cliff. Zeus later placed their images in the sky. In this version of the constellation myth, Icarius is associated with Bootes, the Herdsman, Erigone with the constellation Virgo, and Maera with Canis Minor.

Hyginus (Latin author who lived at the turn of the millennium) confused the myth somewhat in his writings. He wrote that Icarius‟ murderers escaped to the island of Ceos and, as punishment for their misdeed, the island was stricken with sickness and famine, which were attributed to the searing Dog Star, Sirius. (Procyon is mistaken for Sirius here, the other “dog star, “Located in Canis Major”.) When Aristaeus, King of Ceos asked the god Apollo, who was also his father, for advice on saving his people from starving to death, he was told to pray to Zeus. Aristaeus did so and Zeus sent Etesian winds to the island. Every year, the myth goes, Etesian winds blow for 40 days and cool Greece and its islands during the Dog Days of summer. After Zeus had sent relief to Ceos, the priests instituted the custom of making ritual sacrifices to the gods every year before the rising of Sirius. In yet another myth, Canis Minor is identified as the Teumessian fox, the animal that could not be outrun, and was eventually turned into stone by Zeus, who also turned its hunter, Laelaps, to stone. (Laelaps was an extremely fast dog, destined to always catch its prey. In the myth, the dog

is represented by the constellation Canis Major.) To commemorate the event, Zeus placed both animals in the sky.

Name: Capricornus â&#x2122;&#x2018; Meaning: Sea goat/ Horned goat IAU abbreviation: Cap Location: Southern Hemisphere Brightest star:Denab Algedi (Delta capricorni) Speciality: It is one of the zodiac constellations as well as one of the 48 constellations listed by Ptolemy. It is the smallest among the Zodiac constellations and is also a faint constellation. It is the 40th biggest constellation and covers

an area of 414 square degrees. It is commonly represented in the form of a sea goat, a mythical creature that is half goat, half fish. The meteor showers associated with this constellation are Alpha Capricornids, Chicapricornids, Sigma capricornids, Tau capricornids and Capricornidssagittariids. Mythology: Even though Capricornus is the second faintest constellation in the sky, after Cancer, it is associated with myths and images that go way back to the 21st century BC. The Greeks associated the constellation with the forest deity Pan, who had the legs and horns of a goat. Crotus, his son, is usually identified with another amphibious creature, represented by the neighbouring Constellation Sagittarius.. Pan was placed in the sky by Zeus in gratitude for his coming to the other godsâ&#x20AC;&#x; rescue on several occasions. During the godsâ&#x20AC;&#x; war with the Titans, Pan helped scare the Titans away by blowing his conch shell and he later warned the gods that Typhon, a monster sent by Gaia to fight the gods, was approaching. He also suggested that the gods disguise themselves as animals until the danger passed.

In the myth, Pan eluded the monster himself by jumping into the river Nile and turning the lower part of his body into that of a fish. Zeus eventually killed Typhon with his thunderbolts. In reference to the myth, Capricornus is still often depicted as a goat with the tail of a fish. In another story, Capricornus is identified as Amalthea, the goat that suckled Zeus when he was an infant, hiding from his father Cronos. Cronos had devoured his other children, all future gods and goddesses, because of a prophecy that he would be overthrown by one of them.

Name: Carina Meaning: Keel of Argonautâ&#x20AC;&#x;s ship IAU abbreviation: Car Location: Southern hemisphere Brightest star: Canopus (2nd brightest star in the night sky) Speciality: It is the 34th largest constellation and covers an area of 494 square degrees. Carina was once a part of Argo navis, the great ship of Jason and the Argonauts who

searched for the Golden Fleece. The constellation of Argo was introduced in Ancient Greece. Nicolas Louis de Lacaille divided Argo into three sections in 1763: carina, puppies and vela. The meteor showers associated with this constellation are Alpha carinids and Eta carinids. Mythology: The ship was named after its creator Argus, who built it under the orders of Athena, using timber from Mount Pelion. Athena fitted the ship with an oak beam from the oracle of Zeus at Dodona, believed to be the oldest Hellenic oracle. The oak beam, as the myth goes, was able to speak because it was part of an oracle. When the ship was built, Jason and the Argonauts â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 50 greatest Greek heroes, among them Heracles, Orpheus and the twins Castor and Polydeuces â&#x20AC;&#x201C; set sail to Colchis. On the way, they faced the Clashing Rocks (Symplegades) that guarded the entrance to the Black Sea and crushed all passing ships between them. Argo Navis was said to be the first ship that passed between them and stayed in one piece. Once in Colchis, Jason and the Argonauts took the Golden Fleece from King Aeetes and went back to Greece,

where Jason beached the ship at Corinth and dedicated it to the sea god Poseidon.

Name: Cassiopeia Meaning: Queen of Ethiopia IAU abbreviation: Cas Location: Northern hemisphere Brightest star: Schedar (Alpha Cassiopeiae) Speciality: It is one of the 48 constellations listed by Ptolemy. Cassiopeia is easily recognizable in the sky because of its distinctive W shape, an asterism formed by five bright stars in the constellation. The stars from left to

right are Epsilon, Delta, gamma, Alpha and Beta cassiopeiae. It is the 25th largest constellation and covers an area of 598 square degrees. Mythology: The constellation is named after Cassiopeia, the queen of Aethiopeia. Cassiopeia was the wife of King Cepheus of Aethiopeia and mother of Princess Andromeda. Cepheus and Cassiopeia were placed next to each other among the stars, along with Andromeda. She was placed in the sky as a punishment after enraging Poseidon with the boast that her daughter Andromeda was more beautiful than the Nereids or, alternatively, that she herself was more beautiful than the sea nymphs. She was forced to wheel around the North Celestial pole on her throne, spending half of her time clinging to it so she does not fall off, and Poseidon decreed that Andromeda should be bound to a rock as prey for the monster cetus. Andromeda was then rescued by the hero Perseus whom she later married. It was Poseidon who placed Cassiopeia and Cepheus in the sky.

Name: Centaurus Meaning: Centaur IAU abbreviation: Cen Location: Southern hemisphere Brightest star:Alpha centauri (The fourth brigtest star in the sky and the closest star to the solar system. It is a yellow-white main sequence star belonging to the spectral type G2V, about 10% more massive than the sun.)

Speciality: It is the 9th largest constellation and covers an area of 1060 square degrees. It is one of the 48 constellations listed by Ptolemy. In Greek mythology, Centaurus represents a Centaur, a creature that is half human and half horse. The constellation contains omega centauri, the brightest globular cluster as visible from Earth and the largest identified in the Milky way. It is the home to Centaurus A, one of the brightest galaxies in the night sky. The meteor showers associated with this constellation are Alpha centaurids, omicron centaurids and Theta centaurids. Mythology: Chiron was a well-known and respected teacher of medicine, music and hunting. He lived in a cave on Mount Pelion and taught many young princes and future heroes. He died a tragic death in the end, accidentally struck by one of Heraclesâ&#x20AC;&#x; arrows, which the hero had dipped in Hydraâ&#x20AC;&#x;s blood, a poison for which there was no cure. Being the son of the immortal Cronus, Chiron was himself immortal. When the arrow struck him, he suffered terrible pains, but could not die. Zeus eventually released the centaur from immortality and suffering, allowing him to die, and later he placed him among the stars.

Centaurus is usually depicted as a centaur sacrificing an animal, represented by the constellation Lupus, to the gods on the altar represented by Ara constellation. The centaurâ&#x20AC;&#x;s front legs are marked by two of the brightest stars in the sky, Alpha and Beta Centauri, also known as Rigil Kentaurus and Hadar.

Name: Cepheus Meaning: King of Ethiopia IAU abbreviation: Cep Location: Northern hemisphere Brightest star: Alpha Cephei (Alderamin) Speciality: It is the 27th largest constellation and covers an area of 588 square degrees.

Mythology: The constellation represents Cepheus, the King of Ethiopia and Cassiopeiaâ&#x20AC;&#x;s husband in Greek mythology. Zeus placed him in the sky.

Name: Cetus Meaning: Sea monster (whale) IAU abbreviation: Cet Location: Northern Hemisphere Brightest star: Beta ceti Speciality: It is the 4th largest constellation and covers an area of 1231 square degrees.

Mythology: The constellation was named after Cetus, the sea monster from the Greek myth about Andromeda. In the myth, the princess was sacrificed to the monster as punishment for her mother Cassiopeiaâ&#x20AC;&#x;s boastfulness. Cetus was commonly depicted by the Greeks as the hybrid creature. It had forefeet, huge jaws and a scaly body like a giant sea serpent.

Name: Chamaeleon Meaning: Chameleon IAU abbreviation: Cha Location: Southern hemisphere Brightest star: Alpha Chamaeleontis Speciality: It ranks 79th in size and covers an area of 132 square degrees. The constellation was created by the Dutch astronomer Petrus Plancius from the observations of Dutch navigators Pieter Dirkszoon Keyser and Frederick de Houtman in the 16th century.

Name: Circinus Meaning: comapss IAU abbreviation: Cir Location: Southern hemisphere Brightest star: Alpha circini Speciality: It was defined in 1756 by the French astronomer Nicolas Louis de Lacaille. It ranks 85th in size and covers an area of about 93 square degrees. The Milkyway runs through the constellation. Circinus hosts a

notable spiral galaxy, the Cirinus galaxy, discovered in 1977; it is the closest seyfert galaxy to the milky way. The constellation is depicted as a pair of dividing compasses used by draughtsmen to measure distances. The meteor shower associated with this galaxy is Alpha circinids.

Name: Columba Meaning: Dove IAU abbreviation: Col Location: Southern celestial hemisphere Brightest star: Alpha columba Speciality:

The

constellation‟s

original

name

was

Columba Noachi meaning “Noah‟s Dove,” after the biblical dove that informed Noah that the Great flood was receding. It was introduced by the Dutch astronomer, Petrus Plancius

in the late 16th century. It ranks 54th in size and covers an area of 270 square degrees. Mythology: Columba represents Noah‟s dove in the sky. In the myth, Noah‟s dove is sent from the Ark to see if there is any dry land left after the Great Flood. The bird returns holding an olive branch in its beak, signalling that the flood is receding. In some interpretations, Columba represents the dove sent by the Argonauts between the Clashing Rocks to ensure the Argonauts‟ safe passage.

Name: Coma Berenices Meaning: Berenice‟s hair IAU abbreviation: Com Location: Northern sky Brightest star: Beta comaeberenices Speciality: Its name means „Berenice‟s hair‟ in Latin and refers to Queen Berenice II of Egypt, whosacrificed her long hair as a votive offering. It is the only modern constellation named after a historic person. It is the 42nd largest

constellation and covers an area of 386 square degrees. The meteor shower associated with this constellation is Coma Berenicids. The Greek Astronomer PtolemyconsideredComa Berenices to be an asterism in the constellation Leo, representing the tuft at the end of the lionâ&#x20AC;&#x;s tail, and in 16 th century it was promoted to a constellation by the Cartographer Caspar vopel. Tycho Brahe, a Danish astronomer is usually credited for the promotion as he included Coma Berenices among the constellations in his star catalogue of 1602. Mythology: Coma Berenices is associated with the story of a historical figure, Queen Berenice II of Egypt. Berenice was married to Ptolemy III Euergetes (fl. 246 BC-221 BC), who went on a dangerous mission against the Seleucids, who had killed his sister, in 243 BC, during the Third Syrian War. Worried for her husbandâ&#x20AC;&#x;s life, the queen swore to Aphrodite that she would cut off her beautiful long, blonde hair if the goddess brought Ptolemy back home safely.

Once her husband returned, Berenice fulfilled her promise to the goddess. She cut off her hair and placed it in Aphrodite‟s temple. The hair disappeared the next day. This made the king furious. To appease him, the court astronomer Conon said that Aphrodite was so pleased with Berenice‟s offering that she had placed it in the sky, pointing to the group of stars that have since been known as Berenice‟s Hair.

Name: Corona Australis Meaning: Southern crown IAU abbreviation:crA Location: Southern celestial hemisphere Brightest star: Alpha Coronae Australis Speciality: It is one among the 48 constellations listed by Ptolemy. It is said to represent the crown worn by the Centaur represented by Sagittarius. It was known as a circlet of stars neat the forefeet of centaur. It ranks 80th in size and

covers an area of 128 square degrees. The meteor shower associated with this constellation is Corona Australids. Mythology: It represents the crown that the God placed in the sky after freeing Dionysusâ&#x20AC;&#x; mother Semele from the god of the underworld, Hades.

Name: Corona Borealis Meaning: Northern crown IAU abbreviation: crB Location: Northern celestial hemisphere Brightest star: Alpha Coronae Borealis Speciality: It is one among the 48 constellations listed by Ptolemy. Its brightest stars form a semicircular arc. It ranks 73rd in size and covers an area of 179 square degrees.

Mythology: Corona Borealis is associated with the myth of Princess Ariadne of Crete, most famous for her part in helping the Greek hero Theseus defeat the Minotaur, the creature with a human body and head of a bull that lived in a labyrinth designed by Daedalus. In the myth, Ariadne married the god Dionysus. The circlet of stars in the constellation Corona Borealis represents the crown made by the god Hephaestus that she wore on her wedding day. The Minotaur was in fact Ariadneâ&#x20AC;&#x;s half-brother: according to the legend, her mother Pasiphae gave birth to the creature after copulating with one of King Minosâ&#x20AC;&#x; bulls. The king had the Minotaur locked inside the labyrinth to hide the family secret. The labyrinth was designed in such a way that no one, not even the Minotaur, could find a way out. When Theseus came to Crete, he was chosen to be one of the people put into the labyrinth for the Minotaur to find and eat. Ariadne fell in love with Theseus and, following Daedalusâ&#x20AC;&#x; advice, gave him a ball of thread to take with him into the labyrinth if he promised to take her with him once he escaped. Theseus agreed. Once he killed the Minotaur

with his bare hands, the hero followed the trail of the thread and found his way out of the labyrinth. Ariadne and Theseus sailed off together shortly thereafter, but he soon abandoned her on the island of Naxos. The god Dionysus found the princess weeping, fell in love, and the two were soon married. Ariadne wore a crown made by Hephaestus at the wedding and, once the ceremony was over, she tossed it into the sky, where the jewels turned into stars and the crown became the constellation Corona Borealis. The brightest star in the constellation, Gemma, got its name from the Latin word for â&#x20AC;&#x153;jewel.â&#x20AC;?

Name: Corvus Meaning: crow IAU abbreviation: crV Location: Southern celestial hemisphere Brightest star: Gamma Corvi (Gienah) Speciality: It was one among the 48 constellations listed by Ptolemy. The four brightest stars, Gamma, Delta, Epsilon and Beta Corvi form a distinctive quadrilateral in the night sky. It ranks 70th in size and covers an area of 184 square

degree.

The

meteor

showers

associated

with

this

constellation are corvids and etacorvids. It represents Apollo‟s sacred bird in Greek mythology. Mythology: The constellation Corvus represents the raven (or crow), Apollo‟s sacred bird in Greek mythology. According to the myth, the raven originally had white feathers. In one story, Apollo told the bird to watch over Coronis, one of his lovers, who was pregnant at the time. Coronis gradually lost interest in Apollo and fell in love with a mortal man, Ischys. When the raven reported the affair to Apollo, the god was so enraged that the bird did nothing to stop it that he flung a curse on it, scorching the raven‟s feathers. That, the legend goes, is why all ravens are black. Apollo then sent his sister Artemis to kill Coronis. Before Coronis‟ body was burned, the unborn child, Asclepius, was cut out of her womb and given to the centaur Chiron, who raised him. Asclepius grew up to be a famous healer and is represented by the constellation Ophiuchus, the serpent bearer.

Name: Crater Meaning: Cup IAU abbreviation: Crt Location: Southern celestial hemisphere Brightest star: Delta Crateris (Also known as Labrumwhich in Latin means “the lip.” The name is associated with the story of the Holy Grail.) Speciality: It was one among the 48 constellations listed by Ptolemy. Its name in Latin means „Greek Krater,‟ a type

of cup used to water down wine. It is the 53 rd largest constellation and covers an area of 282 square degrees. The meteor shower associated with this constellation is Eta crateris. Mythology: In Greek mythology, Crater represents the Cup of Apollo – the god of the skies – which is due to its chalicelike configuration. The cup is being held up by the Raven – Corvus – another figure in Greek mythology. Unfortunately, Corvus (the Raven) was distracted as he became tempted by a fig, and then waited too long for it to ripen. When he realized his mistake, he returned sorrowfully to Apollo with his cup (Crater) and brought along the serpent Hydra in his claws as well. Angry, Apollo tossed all three into the sky for all eternity, where they became part of the starry firmament.

Name: Crux Meaning: Cross (Southern) IAU abbreviation: Cru Location: Southern hemisphere Brightest star: Alpha Crucis (Acrux); it is the 12th brightest star in the sky. Speciality: It is the smallest of all constellations and ranks 88th in size. It covers an area of 68 square degrees. The main stars are members of the Scorpious- centaurus association, a

large but loose group of hot blue white stars that appear to share common origins and motion across the southern milky way. Ptolemy regarded these stars as part of the constellation Centaurus. It was the French Astronomer Augustin Royer who separated Crux from Centaurus.

Name: Cygnus Meaning: Swan IAU abbreviation: Cyg Location: Northern hemisphere Brightest star: Deneb (Alpha cygni); one of the brightest stars in the night sky and is the most distant first magnitude star as its â&#x20AC;&#x153;tail starâ&#x20AC;? forms one corner of the summer triangle. On Mars, Denab is the North pole star.

Speciality: The constellation is a home to Cygnus X-1, a distant X-ray binary containing a supergiant and unseen massive companion thta was the first object widely held to be a blackhole. The constellation features a well known asterism known as the Northern cross. It is the 16 th largest constellation and covers an area of 804 square degrees. Mythology: Cygnus constellation is associated with several myths, most frequently the one of the Spartan Queen Leda, who gave birth to two sets of twins, the immortal Pollux and Helen and mortal Castor and Clytemnestra, after being seduced by the god Zeus, who had transformed himself into a swan. The immortal children were fathered by the god and the mortal ones by Ledaâ&#x20AC;&#x;s husband, King Tyndareus. Castor and Pollux are represented by the Zodiac constellation Gemini` Cygnus is also sometimes identified as Orpheus, the Greek tragic hero who was murdered by the Thracian Maenads for not honouring Dionysus. After death, Orpheus was transformed into a swan and placed next to his lyre in the sky. The lyre is represented by the neighbouring constellation Lyra.

Cygnus constellation is also sometimes associated with any of the several people called Cycnus in Greek mythology. The most famous ones are Cycnus, the murderous son of Ares who challenged Heracles to a duel and was killed, Cycnus, the son of Poseidon, who fought on the side of the Trojans in the Trojan War, was killed by Achilles, and transformed into a swan after death, and Cycnus, a close friend of Phaeton, the mortal son of the Sun god Helios. Of the above three, the myth of Phaeton is the one that is most frequently associated with Cygnus constellation. In the story, Phaeton and Cycnus were racing each other across the sky when they came too close to the Sun. Their chariots burned up and they fell to the Earth. Cycnus came to and, after looking for Phaeton for a while, he discovered his dead friend‟s body trapped at the bottom of the Eridanus River. He was unable to recover the body, so he made a pact with Zeus: if the god gave him the body of a swan, he would only live as long as a swan usually does. Once transformed, Cycnus was able to dive into the river, retrieve Phaeton‟s body and give his friend a proper burial. This allowed Phaeton‟s soul to travel to the afterlife. Zeus was moved by Cycnus‟ sacrifice and placed his image in the sky.

The Chinese also associate the constellation with a myth, the one of the â&#x20AC;&#x153;magpie bridge,â&#x20AC;? Que Qiao. In the story, the lovers Niu Lang and Zhi Nu are separated by the Goddess of Heaven because Zhi Nu is a fairy, and is therefore not allowed to be with a mortal man. When the Goddess learns that the two are secretly married, she takes Zhi Nu with her and creates a river in the sky to keep the lovers separated. The river is represented by the Milky Way itself in the legend. Zhi Nuâ&#x20AC;&#x;s husband Niu Lang takes their two children to Heaven so that they can all be together, but the Goddess does not relent and keeps the lovers separated. Once a year, the myth goes, all the magpies in the world assemble to help the lovers be together by forming an enormous bridge over the wide river. The constellation Cygnus represents the magpie bridge in this story.

Name: Delphinus Meaning: Porpoise/ Dolphin IAU abbreviation: Del Location: Northern sky Brightest star: Rotanev (Beta Delphini) Speciality: It ranks 69th in size and covers an area of 189 square degrees. It was one among the 48 constellations listed by Ptolemy. It represents the dolphin sent by the sea god Poseidon to find Amphitrite, the Nereid he wanted to marry.

Mythology: There are two myths associated with the constellation Delphinus. In one, the dolphin constellation represents Poseidonâ&#x20AC;&#x;s messenger. When the sea god courted the nymph Amphitrite, one of the Nereids, she resisted his advances and took refuge among her sisters. Poseidon sent messengers to find her and bring her to him, among them a dolphin. The dolphin found the nymph, soothed her and brought her back to the god. The two were later married. Poseidon decided to honour the dolphin and placed his image among the stars. In the other myth, it was Apollo, the god of poetry and music, who placed the dolphin among the constellations for saving the life of Arion, a poet and musician born on the island of Lesbos whose skill with the lyre made him famous in the 7th century BC. Arion was sailing back to Greece after a concert tour of southern Italy when the sailors who were also on the ship started plotting to kill him and take the money he had earned.

Surrounded, Arion asked them to let him sing one last song. The sailors allowed this, and Arionâ&#x20AC;&#x;s music drew several dolphins to the ship. As he played, the dolphins swam alongside the ship and Arion decided to take a leap of faith and he jumped overboard. One of the dolphins carried him all the way back to Greece. Later, Arion confronted the sailors and had them sentenced to death. In this version of the myth, Apollo placed the dolphin next to the constellation Lyra in the sky, and Lyra represents Arionâ&#x20AC;&#x;s lyre.

Name: Dorado Meaning: Swordfish IAU abbreviation: Dor Location: Southern sky Brightest star: Alpha Doradus Speciality: It contains most of the large megallanic cloud (an irregular galaxy near the milky way), the remaining of which lies in the constellation Mensa. The south Ecliptic pole also lies within this constellation. It ranks 72nd in size

and covers an area of 179 square degrees. It was created by the Dutch astronomer Petrus Plancius (who mostly named the newly created southern constellations after animals) from the observations of Dutch navigators, Pieter Dirkszoon Keyser and Frederick de Houtman. The constellation was first depicted in Johann Bayerâ&#x20AC;&#x;s star atlas Uranometria in 1603.

Name: Draco Meaning: Dragon IAU abbreviation: Dra Location: Northern sky Brightest star: Gamma Draconis (Etamin or Eltanin) Speciality: It was one among the 48 constellations listed by Ptolemy. The North pole of the Ecliptic (plane of the Earthâ&#x20AC;&#x;s orbit around the sun) is in Draco. The meteor shower associated with this constellation is Draconids. It is the 8th

largest constellation and covers an area of 1083 square degrees. It represents Ladon, the dragon that guarded the gardens of the Hesperides in Greek mythology. Mythology: The constellation Draco is associated with several myths, most frequently with the one about the 12 labours of Heracles, represented by the neighbouring constellation Hercules.

In the myth, Draco represents

Ladon, the dragon that guarded the golden apples in the gardens of the Hesperides. The golden apple tree was a wedding present to Hera when she married Zeus. She planted the tree in her garden on Mount Atlas and tasked Atlasâ&#x20AC;&#x; daughters, the Hesperides, with guarding it. She also placed the dragon Ladon around the tree so that the Hesperides would not pick any apples from it. In some versions of the myth, Ladon had a hundred heads and was the child of the monster Typhon and Echidna, who was half woman and half serpent.

In others, he was the offspring of two sea deities, Ceto and Phorcys, and there is no mention of the number of heads he had. As part of his 12 labours, Heracles was asked to steal some golden apples from the tree. He killed Ladon with his poisoned arrows and took the apples. Saddened by the dragonâ&#x20AC;&#x;s death, Hera placed its image in the sky among the constellations. Draco is usually depicted coiled around the North Pole, with one foot of Heracles on its head.

Name: Equuleus Meaning: Little horse IAU abbreviation: Equ Location: Northern sky Brightest star: Alpha Equulei (also known as „Kitalpha‟ which means „the section of the horse‟) Speciality: It is a small faint constellation. It is the second smallest of the modern constellations. It ranks 87th in size

and covers an area of 72 square degrees. It was one among the 48 constellations listed by Ptolemy. Mythology: Equuleus, the foal, is usually associated with Hippe, the daughter of the centaur Chiron in Greek mythology. Hippe was seduced by Aeolus and became pregnant with his child. Too ashamed to tell her father, she hid the pregnancy from Chiron. She escaped to the mountains and stayed there until she gave birth to the child, named Melanippe. When Chiron came looking for Hippe, she prayed to the gods that he doesn‟t find her and they turned her into a mare. It was the goddess Artemis who placed Hippe among the constellations. She still appears to be hiding from Chiron, with only her head showing behind Pegasus. (Chiron is represented by the Constellation Centaurus. Equuleus constellation is also sometimes associated with Celeris, a foal given as a present to Castor by Mercury. The name Celeris means “speed” or “swiftness.” The foal was either the brother or offspring of Pegasus, the famous winged horse, represented by the neighboring constellation.

Name: Eridanus Meaning: River IAU abbreviation: Eri Location: Southern celestial hemisphere Brightest star: Achernar (Alpha Eridani); it is a very peculiar star because it is one of the flattest stars known.

Speciality: It was one among the 48 constellations listed by Ptolemy. It is the 6th largest constellation and covers an area of 1138 square degrees. The constellationâ&#x20AC;&#x;s name is the Ancient Greece name for the River Po in Italy. Eridanus represents the celestial river. In Sanskrit, it is called Srotaswini, which means stream, current or torrent. The constellation is usually depicted as the river flowing from the waters poured by Aquaris. Mythology: In Greek mythology, the constellation is associated with the story of Phaeton (or Phaethon), the son of the Sun god Helios and the Oceanid Clymene. Phaeton wanted to drive his fatherâ&#x20AC;&#x;s chariot across the sky and kept begging for Heliosâ&#x20AC;&#x; permission to do so until the god agreed, advising Phaeton to follow the beaten track where he saw wheel marks. Phaeton mounted the chariot and the horses, sensing that the driver was lighter, flew upwards into the sky, leaving the familiar track behind. The inexperienced driver could not control the horses and the reins slipped from his hands. The chariot plunged so close to the Earth that lands caught fire. It is said that this was how Libya became a desert, Ethiopians

got dark skin, and the seas dried up. Zeus saw what was going on and had to intervene to prevent further disaster. He struck Phaeton down with a thunderbolt and, when Phaetonâ&#x20AC;&#x;s hair caught on fire, he leapt from the chariot and fell into the Eridanus. His father Helios, stricken with grief, did not drive his chariot for days, leaving the world in darkness. The Greek poet Aratus called the constellation Eridanus, while a number of other sources including Ptolemy referred to it as Potamos, which means â&#x20AC;&#x153;the river.â&#x20AC;? Eratosthenes associated the celestial river with the Nile, the only river that runs from south to north. Hyginus, a Latin author, agreed, pointing out that the bright star Canopus in the constellation Carina was at the end of the river much like the island Canopus lies at the mouth of the great river in Egypt. The actual constellation, however, represents a river that runs from north to south. Later, the river came to be identified as the river Po in Italy by Greek and Latin authors. The name Eridanus, according to a theory, comes from the name of a Babylonian constellation known as the Star of Eridu (MUL.NUN.KI). Eridu was a Babylonian city held

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sacred to the god Enki-Ea. Enki-Ea was the ruler of the cosmic domain of the Abyss, usually imagined as a reservoir of fresh water below the Earthâ&#x20AC;&#x;s surface.

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Name: Fornax Meaning: Furnace IAU abbreviation: For Location: Southern celestial hemisphere Brightest star: Alpha Fornacis Speciality: It was named by the French astronomer Nicolas Louis de Lacaille in 1756. Lacaille originally named it as Fornax chemical, the chemical furnace after the small fuel heater used for chemical experiments. It is the 41 st

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largest constellation and covers an area of 398 square degrees.

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Name: Gemini â&#x2122;&#x160; Meaning: Twins IAU abbreviation: Gem Location: Northern celestial hemisphere Brightest star: Pollux (Beta Gem) Speciality: It was one among the 48 constellations listed by Ptolemy. It is associated with the twins Castor and Pollux in Greek mythology. It is one of the zodiac constellations. It is the 30th largest constellation and covers an area of 514

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square degrees. The meteor showers associated with this constellation are Geminids and Rho Geminids. In Egyptian astrology, the constellation was identified with twin goats, while Arabian astrology said it was twin peacocks. The two brightest stars in the constellation, Castor and Pollux (named after the Greek mythological characters) represent the head of the twins. Mythology: Gemini constellation represents the twins Castor and Polydeuces in Greek mythology. The brothers were also known as the Dioscuri, which means “sons of Zeus.” In most versions of the myth, however, only Polydeuces was Zeus‟ son, and Castor was the son of the mortal King Tyndareus of Sparta. The twins‟ mother, Spartan Queen Leda, was raped by Zeus, who visited the queen in the form of a swan, associated with the constellation Cygnus (the Swan), and she became pregnant with Polydeuces and Helen (who would become the famous Helen of Troy). Leda later also became pregnant with Castor and Clytemnestra (who would later marry Agamemnon and eventually murder him and be killed by her

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own son Orestes). Castor and Clytemnestra were fathered by Tyndareus and, unlike Zeus‟ children, they were mortal. Castor and Polydeuces grew up together and were very close. Castor was an excellent horseman and proficient at fencing – he is said to have taught Heracles himself to fence – and Polydeuces was famed for his boxing skills. The two were part of the Argonauts‟ expedition to get the Golden Fleece. Polydeuces‟ boxing skills came in handy when Amycus, a son of Poseidon who ruled Asia Minor, refused to let the Argonauts leave until one of them fought him in a boxing match. Polydeuces accepted the challenge and easily won. The twins came to the crew‟s rescue on a number of occasions. They have been known as the patron saints of sailors, and were said to have been given the power to rescue sailors who were shipwrecked by the sea god Poseidon himself, who also gave them two white horses, which the twins often rode. The Dioscuri are associated with St. Elmo‟s fire, an electrical phenomenon that occurs during thunderstorms,

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when a coronal discharge from a pointed object in a strong electric field creates luminous plasma. The phenomenon is named after another patron saint of sailors, St. Erasmus of Formiae. St. Elmoâ&#x20AC;&#x;s fire would appear to sailors as a glowing ball of light during thunderstorms and they considered it as a sign that their guardian saint was with them. Castor and Polydeuces eventually clashed with Idas and Lynceus, who were also twins and former Argonauts, over two women, Phoebe and Hilaira. The other two brothers were engaged to them, and Castor and Polydeuces carried the women off. Idas and Lynceus pursued them and in the end there was a fight between the four. Lynceus stabbed Castor with a sword and when Polydeuces saw this, he killed Lynceus. When Idas saw his brother die, he attacked Polydeuces, but Zeus intervened and sent a thunderbolt which saved his son. Polydeuces asked Zeus to share his immortality with his dead brother and the god placed them both in the sky, where they remain inseparable as the constellation Gemini.

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Name: Grus Meaning: Crane IAU abbreviation: Gru Location: Southern Sky Brightest star: Alpha Grucis (also known as „Alnair‟ which means „the bright one from the fish‟s tail‟ in Arabic) Speciality: It is one of the 12 constellations noted by Petrus Plancius. It is the 45th largest constellation and occupies an area of 366 square degrees. The stars of Grus were once a part of the constellation Piscis Austrinus. The

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constellation

Grus, Pavo, Phoenix and

collectively known as the southern birds.

Tucana are

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Name: Hercules Meaning: Hercules, son of Zeus IAU abbreviation: Her Location: Northern sky Brightest star: Kornephoros (Beta Herculis) Speciality: It was one among the 48 constellations listed by Ptolemy. It is the 5th largest constellation and occupies an area of 1225 square degrees. The meteor shower associated

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with this constellation is Tau Herculids. It was named after Hercules, a Greek hero Mythology: Heracles was the son of Zeus and Alcmene, a mortal woman. When he was an infant, Zeus laid him at Hera‟s breast while she slept. Having suckled her milk, Heracles became immortal. Hera was enraged, both at this and at her husband‟s infidelity, and while she could not kill Heracles, she made his life difficult at every turn. She cast a spell that made him go insane and kill his children. Once he regained his senses and realized what he had done, he visited the Oracle at Delphi to see how he could atone for his deed. The Oracle sent him to serve Eurystheus, king of Mycenae, for a period of 12 years. It was then that he got the name Heracles, which means “the glory of Hera.” His given name at birth was Alcides, Alcaeus, or Palaemon according to different sources. King Eurystheus gave Heracles a series of tasks, known as the Labours of Heracles. The first was to kill the Nemean lion, a beast whose hide was impervious to any weapon. After Heracles had strangled the lion to death, he used its claws to cut off the skin and later used the pelt as a cloak

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and the gaping mouth as a helmet, which both protected him and made him look even more frightening. The Nemean lion is represented by the constellation Leo. The second task was to destroy the Hydra, represented by Hydra constellation, a monster with multiple heads. As he fought with the beast, Hera sent a crab to distract him. Heracles killed the crab, and Hera placed it in the sky as the constellation Cancer. Heracles was then sent to catch a deer with golden horns and, after that, a ferocious boar. The fifth task was to clean the stables of King Augeias of Elis. The sixth was to kill a flock of marauding birds, and the seventh, to catch a bull that breathed fire and was ravaging the land on Crete. The eighth labour was to bring the horses of King Diomedes of Thrace, which ate flesh, to Eurystheus. The ninth was to bring the king the belt of Hippolyte, the queen of the Amazons. The tenth labour was to steal the cattle of Geryon, a monster that lived on the island of Erytheia. On his way back, he was attacked by local forces that outnumbered and nearly overcame him. He sank to his knees and prayed to Zeus. The god helped him by sending rocks, which Heracles

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threw at his attackers. This is the event that, according to Aeschylus, was commemorated by the constellation Engonasin (the kneeler). Even though Eurystheus and Heracles had originally agreed on ten tasks, when Heracles came back, the king refused to release him from his service and set two additional tasks. The first was to steal the golden apples from Heraâ&#x20AC;&#x;s garden on Mount Atlas. The garden was guarded by the Hesperides, daughters of the titan Atlas, and the Hesperides were guarded by the dragon Ladon, whose task was to make sure that they did not steal any of the apples. The dragon is represented by the constellation Draco. Hera herself placed the dragon in the sky after Heracles had killed it. The final labour was the most difficult one. Heracles was sent to the gates of the Underworld to fetch Cerberus, the dog that had three heads and was tasked with guarding the entrance and making sure those who had crossed the river Styx did not try to escape. Heracles used his pelt to protect himself and dragged the dog to Eurystheus. The king, who had not expected to see Heracles again, had no choice but to release him.

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After completing the twelve labours, Heracles married Deianeira, daughter of King Oeneus. While the two were travelling together, they came to the river Evenus where the centaur Nessus ferried people across. Heracles swam across the river, but Deianeira needed to be carried and Nessus, who offered to do it, fell in lust with her and tried to ravage her. Heracles shot the centaur with an arrow that was tipped in the Hydra‟s poison. As he lay dying, Nessus offered Deianeira some of his blood, saying it can act as a love charm. Deianeira kept the blood, poisoned by Heracles‟ arrow. Much later, she became worried that Heracles‟ attention was wandering to another woman and she gave him a shirt on which she had smeared Nessus‟ blood. When Heracles put it on, Hydra‟s poison started burning his flesh and, once he realized what was going on, he built himself a funeral pyre on Mount Oeta and lay on his pelt, ready to die. The fire burned the part of him that was mortal, and the immortal part joined Zeus and the other gods on Mount Olympus. Zeus placed Heracles in the sky as the constellation now known by its Roman name, Hercules.

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Name: Horologium Meaning: Clock IAU abbreviation: Hor Location: Southern sky Brightest star: Alpha Horologii Speciality: It was first described by the French Astronomer Nicolas Louis de Lacaille in 1756. He visualized it as a clock with a pendulum and seconds hand. It is the 58th largest constellation and occupies an area of 249

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square degrees. It is home to the Horologium supercluster, a massive supercluster about 5000 galaxy groups.

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Name: Hydra Meaning: Sea serpent IAU abbreviation: Hya Location: Southern hemisphere Brightest star: Alphard (Alpha hydrae) Speciality: It is the largest of the 88 modern constellations and also the longest at over 100 degrees. It occupies an area of 1303 square degrees. It was one among the 48 constellations listed by Ptolemy. Its southern end abuts Libra and Centaurus and its northern end borders cancer. The meteor showers associated with this constellation are Alpha

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Hydrids and Sigma Hydrids. It represents he Lernaean Hydra from the Greek myth of Hercules‟ twelve labours. Mythology:. Hydra was a giant multi-headed creature fathered by the monster Typhon and Echidna, who was halfwoman, half-serpent. The dragon Ladon, that guarded the garden of the Hesperides, was Hydra‟s brother. The dragon, also killed by Heracles, is represented by the constellation Draco, while the hero is commemorated by the constellation Hercules. In mythology, Hydra had nine heads and one of them was immortal. The celestial Hydra is depicted with only one head, presumably the immortal one. The monster lived near the town of Lerna, where it ravaged the land and killed cattle. Heracles, faced with a difficult task, first shot flaming arrows into the Hydra‟s lair and smoked it out. Then he fought with it, smashing the creature‟s heads one by one with his club. Every time he smashed one, two new heads would grow in its place. While the two fought, Heracles was distracted by a crab, which crawled out of the swamp and attacked his foot. Heracles

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killed the crab and Hera, a sworn enemy of his, placed it among the stars as the constellation Cancer. Heracles was able to defeat the Hydra when his charioteer Iolaus helped him by burning the stumps of each head that Heracles struck off, and eventually Heracles cut off the immortal head and buried it under a rock. He dipped his arrows in Hydra‟s poisonous blood, which would eventually lead to his own death. In a different myth, the constellation Hydra is associated with the water snake on which Apollo‟s crow blamed its tardiness. The god had sent the bird, represented by the constellation Corvus, to fetch him some water in a cup. The cup is associated with the constellation Crater. The crow was distracted by a fig tree and stopped to feast. When it finally returned to Apollo, it said the water snake was to blame, but the god saw through the bird‟s lie and punished it by placing it into the sky. Apollo also turned the water snake and the cup into constellations. In the sky, the water snake (Hydra) eternally prevents the crow (Corvus) from drinking out of the cup (Crater).

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Name: Hydrus Meaning: Water snake IAU abbreviation: Hyi Location: Deep southern sky Brightest star: Beta Hydri Speciality: It was one of the twelve constellations created by Petrus Plancis. Its name means „male water snake,‟ as opposed to hydra, which represents a „female water snake.‟

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It is the 61st largest constellation and occupies an area of 243 square degrees.

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Name: Indus Meaning: Indian IAU abbreviation: Ind Location: Southern sky Brightest star: The Persian (Alpha Indi) Speciality: It is the 49th largest constellation and occupies an area of 294 square degrees. It was created by the Dutch astronomer Petrus Plancius in the late 16th century and first depicted in a star Atlas in Johann Bayerâ&#x20AC;&#x;s uranometria atlas

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in 1603. Plancius depicted Indus as a naked man holding arrows in both hands.

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Name: Lacerta Meaning: Lizard IAU abbreviation: Lac Location: Northern Sky Brightest star: Alpha Lacertae Speciality: It is the 68th largest constellation and occupies an area of 201 square degrees. Its brightest stars forms a â&#x20AC;&#x17E;Wâ&#x20AC;&#x; shape similar to that of Cassiopeia and is thus sometimes

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referred to as â&#x20AC;&#x17E;little Cassiopeia.â&#x20AC;&#x; It was created by the Polish astronomer Johannes Hevelius in 1687.

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Name: Leo â&#x2122;&#x152; Meaning: Lion IAU abbreviation: Leo Location: Northern celestial hemisphere Brightest star: Regulus (Alpha Leonis) Speciality: It is one of the Zodiac constellations. It is one among the 48 constellations listed by Ptolemy. It is the 12th largest constellation and occupies an area of 947 square

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degrees.

The

meteor

shower

associated

with

this

constellation is Leonids. Mythology: The lion lived in a cave in Nemea, a town located to the south-west of Corinth. It was killing the local inhabitants and could not be killed because its skin could not be pierced by any weapons. Heracles could not kill the lion with arrows, so he trapped the lion in its cave, grappled with the beast and eventually choked it to death. He used the lion‟s claws to cut off its pelt, and then wore the pelt as a cloak, complete with the lion‟s head. The cloak both protected Heracles and made him appear even more fearsome. In the sky, the six bright stars that form the Sickle of Leo represent the lion‟s head, and the brightest star in the constellation, Regulus (Alpha Leonis), marks the beast‟s heart. Another bright star, Denebola (Beta Leonis) marks the tip of the lion‟s tail. Algieba (Gamma Leonis) lies on the lion‟s neck, even though its name means “the forehead.” Zosma (Delta Leonis) marks the lion‟s rump.

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Name: Leo Minor Meaning: Little lion IAU abbreviation: LMi Location: Northern celestial hemisphere Brightest star: Praecipua (46 LMi) Speciality: It is a small and faint constellation. It was designated by Johannes Hevelius, Polish astronomer in 1687. It is the 64th largest constellation and occupies an area of 232 square degrees. The meteor shower associated with this constellation is Leonis minorids.

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Name: Lepus Meaning: Hare IAU abbreviation: Lep Location: Northern sky Brightest star: Arneb Speciality: It was one among the 48 constellations listed by Ptolemy. It is represented as a hare being chased by Orion or by Orionâ&#x20AC;&#x;s hunting dogs (Canis major and Canis

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minor). It is the 51st largest constellation and occupies an area of 290 square degrees.

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Name: Libra â&#x2122;&#x17D; Meaning: Balance IAU abbreviation: Lib Location: Southern celestial hemisphere Brightest star: Zubeneschamali (Beta librae) Speciality: It is one of the Zodiac constellations. It is the 29th largest constellation and occupies an area of 538 square degrees.

The

meteor

shower

associated

with

this

constellation is May Librids. The brightest stars in Libra

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form a quadrangle. Alpha and Beta librae mark the scalesâ&#x20AC;&#x; balance beam and gamma & sigma librae represent the weighing pans.

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Name: Lupus Meaning: The night wolf IAU abbreviation: Lup Location: Southern sky Brightest star: Alpha lupi Speciality: It was one among the 48 constellations listed by Ptolemy. It is the 46th largest constellation and occupies an area of 334 square degrees.

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Name: Lynx Meaning: Lynx IAU abbreviation: Lyn Location: Northern celestial hemisphere Brightest star: Alpha Lyncis Speciality: It is a faint constellation with its brightest stars forming a zig zag line. It is the 28th largest constellation and occupies an area of 545 square degrees. The meteor showers associated with this constellation are Alpha Lyncids and

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September Lyncids. Polish astronomer, Johannes Hevelius formed the constellation in 1687.

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Name: Lyra Meaning: Lyre or Harp IAU abbreviation: Lyr Location: Northern sky Brightest star: Vega; it is the 5th brightest stars in the night sky and the 2nd brightest star in the northern hemisphere and forms a corner of the famed summer triangle asterism.

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Speciality: The meteor showers associated with this constellation are Lyrids, June Lyrids and Alpha Lyrids. It was one among the 48 constellations listed by Ptolemy. It is the 52nd largest constellation and occupies an area of 286 square degrees. Mythology: Lyra represents the lyre of Orpheus, the musician and poet in Greek mythology who was killed by the Bacchantes. When he died, his lyre was thrown into a river. Zeus sent an eagle to get the lyre and placed both of them in the sky. Orpheus was the son of the Thracian King Oeagrus and the muse Calliope. When he was young, god Apollo gave him a golden lyre and taught him to play it, and his mother taught him to write verses. Orpheus was known for his ability to charm even stones with his music, for his attempts to save his wife Eurydice from the underworld, and for being the harpist and companion of Jason and the Argonauts.

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Without Orpheus and his music, the Argonauts would not have been able to make it past the Sirens, whose song enticed sailors to come to them, which usually resulted in sailors crashing their ships into the islands on which the Sirens lived. When the Argonauts approached the islands, Orpheus drew his lyre and played music that drowned out the Sirensâ&#x20AC;&#x; calls. The most famous story involving Orpheus is that of the death of his wife Eurydice. Eurydice was trying to escape a satyr at her wedding, and fell into a nest of vipers. She was bitten on the heel and died. Orpheus found the body and, deeply shaken, he played songs that made the gods and the nymphs cry. The gods felt pity for him and advised him to travel to the underworld and try to retrieve Eurydice. Orpheus took their advice. Once there, his song deeply moved Hades and his wife Persephone and they agreed to return Eurydice to the world of the living on one condition: Orpheus should walk in front of her and not look back until they both had reached the upper world. Orpheus and Eurydice started walking and, as much as he wanted to, he did not look back. However, he forgot that they both had to arrive to the upper world before he could turn. As soon as he

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reached it, he turned around, but Eurydice was not quite up there yet and she disappeared from his sight, for good this time. Orpheus found his death at the hands of Thracian Maenads, who ripped him to shreds for not honouring Dionysus. His lyre was carried to heaven by the Muses, who also collected the fragments of his body and buried them below Mount Olympus.

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Name: Mensa Meaning: Table mountain IAU abbreviation: Men Location: Southern celestial hemisphere Brightest star: Alpha Mensae Speciality: It was one of the 12 constellations drawn up in the 18th century by French astronomer Nicolas Louis de Lacaille. It is the 75th largest constellation and occupies an area of 153 square degrees.

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Name: Microscopium Meaning: Microscope IAU abbreviation: Mic Location: Southern celestial hemisphere Brightest star: Gamma Microscopii Speciality: It was one of the 12 constellations drawn up in the 18th century by French astronomer Nicolas Louis de Lacaille. It is the 66th largest constellation and occupies an

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area of 210 square degrees. The meteor shower associated with this constellation is Microscopids.

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Name: Monoceros Meaning: Unicorn IAU abbreviation: Mon Location: Faint constellation on the celestial equator Brightest star: Beta Monocerotis Speciality: It was first depicted by the 17th century Dutch cartographer Petrus Plancius. It is the 35 th largest constellation and occupies an area of 482 square degrees.

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The meteor showers associated with this constellation are December monocerids and Alpha monocerids.

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Name: Musca Meaning: Fly IAU abbreviation: Mus Location: Southern sky Brightest star: Alpha muscae Speciality: It is one of the 12 constellations created by Petrus Plancius. It is the 77th largest constellation and occupies an area of 138 square degrees.

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Name: Norma Meaning: Carpenterâ&#x20AC;&#x;s level IAU abbreviation: Nor Location: Southern celestial hemisphere Brightest star: Gamma Normae Speciality: It was one of the 12 constellations drawn up in the 18th century by French astronomer Nicolas Louis de Lacaille. It is the 74th largest constellation and occupies an area of 165 square degrees. The meteor shower associated

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with this constellation is Gamma Normids. It represents a carpenterâ&#x20AC;&#x;s square, used by carpenters on exploratory vessels.

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Name: Octans Meaning: Octant (a navigational instrument) IAU abbreviation: Oct Location: Southern hemisphere Brightest star: Nu octantis Speciality: It was one of the 12 constellations drawn up in the 18th century by French astronomer Nicolas Louis de Lacaille. It is the 50th largest constellation and occupies an area of 291 square degrees. Octans contains the southern

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pole star, Sigma octantis, which is located about a degree away from the south celestial pole. The constellation was also known as Octans Hadleianus after John Hadley, the English mathematician who invented octant in 1730.

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Name: Ophiuchus Meaning: Holder of serpent IAU abbreviation: Oph Location: Southern sky near the celestial equator Brightest star: Alpha Ophiuchi (Rasalhague- which means â&#x20AC;&#x17E;head of the serpent charmerâ&#x20AC;&#x;) Speciality: It was one among the 48 constellations listed by Ptolemy. It is the 11th largest constellation and occupies an area of 948 square degrees. The meteor showers

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associated with this constellation are Ophiuchids, Northern may ophiuchids, southern may ophiuchids and Theta ophiuchids. The constellation is associated with the figure of Asclepius, the famous healer in Greek mythology. It is generally depicted as a man holding a snake. The snake is usually depicted coiled around his waist. Mythology: Ophiuchus is most frequently associated with the Greek mythical figure of Asclepius, son of the god Apollo, who was said to be able to bring people back from the dead with his healing powers. Asclepius learned how to do this after seeing one snake bringing healing herbs to another. This happened when Glaucus, the son of King Minos of Crete, fell into a jar of honey and drowned. Asclepius saw a snake slithering toward his body and killed it. Then another snake came along and placed a herb on the first one, which miraculously brought the first snake back to life. Asclepius saw this and took the same herb and placed it on Glaucusâ&#x20AC;&#x; body. The kingâ&#x20AC;&#x;s son was miraculously resurrected. Asclepius was raised by Chiron, the wise centaur, associated with Centaurus constellation, who taught him the art of

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healing. In one of the myths, Asclepius was given the blood of the Gorgon Medusa by the goddess Athene. The Gorgon‟s blood from the veins on her left side was poison, but the blood from the veins on the right side was said to be able to bring people back to life. In another tale, Asclepius resurrected Theseus‟ son Hippolytus after the king‟s son was thrown from his chariot. In this version of the myth, Hippolytus is associated with Auriga constellation, the charioteer. The healer was killed by Zeus because the god was worried that the human race would become immortal with Asclepius around to heal them. Zeus‟ brother Hades, the god of the Underworld, was concerned that the flow of dead souls into his domain would dry up as a result of Asclepius‟ healing ability. Hades complained about this to Zeus and the thunder god killed the healer with a bolt of lightning. Zeus later placed Asclepius‟ image in the sky to honour his gift and good deeds. The healer became the constellation Ophiuchus, the Serpent Bearer.

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Name: Orion Meaning: Orion, the hunter IAU abbreviation: Ori Location: Lies on the celestial equator and visible throughout the world. Brightest star: Rigel (Beta orionis) Speciality: It is one of the most conspicuous and recognizable constellations in the night sky. It is the 26th largest constellation and occupies an area of 594 square

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degrees.

The

meteor

showers

associated

with

this

constellation are orionids and chi orionids. The earliest known depiction linked to this constellation is a Prehistoric (Aurignacian) mammoth ivory carving found in a cave in the Arc valley in West Germany in 1979. Archaeologists estimate that it is 32000 to 38000years old. Orionâ&#x20AC;&#x;s seven brightest stars form a distinctive hourglass shaped asterism in the night sky. The constellation contains 2 of the 10 brightest stars in the sky. They are Rigel and Betelgeuse. Mythology: In Greek mythology, the hunter Orion was the most handsome of men. He was the son of the sea god Poseidon and Euryale, the daughter of King Minos of Crete. In Homerâ&#x20AC;&#x;s Odyssey, Orion is described as exceptionally tall and armed with an unbreakable bronze club. In one myth, Orion fell in love with the Plieades, the seven sisters, daughters of Atlas and Pleione. He started pursuing them and Zeus scooped them up and placed them in the sky. The Pleiades are represented by the famous star cluster of the same name, located in the constellation of Taurus. Orion can still be seen chasing the sisters across the sky at night.

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In another story, Orion fell in love with Merope, the beautiful daughter of King Oenopion, who didnâ&#x20AC;&#x;t return his affections. One night, he had too much to drink and tried to force himself on her. The king, enraged, put out Orionâ&#x20AC;&#x;s eyes and banished him from his land, the island of Chios. Hephaestus felt sorry for the blind, wandering Orion and offered one of his assistants to guide the hunter and act as his eyes. Orion eventually encountered an oracle that told him if he went east toward the sunrise, his sight would be restored. Orion did so and his eyes were miraculously healed.

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Name: Pavo Meaning: Peacock IAU abbreviation: Pav Location: Southern sky Brightest star: Peacock (Alpha pavonis) Speciality: It was one of the 12 constellations established by Petrus Plancius. The meteor shower associated with this constellation is Delta Pavonids. It is the 44th largest constellation and occupies an area of 378 square degrees. In Australia, a part of this constellation is known as â&#x20AC;&#x153;the saucepanâ&#x20AC;? and used as a guide to finding the south.

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Mythology: The constellation is believed to represent the Java green peacock which the Dutch navigators de Houtman and Keyser probably encountered on their journey to the East Indies. In Greek mythology, the peacock was Hera‟s sacred bird. The goddess drove through the air in a chariot drawn by peacocks. There is a myth specifically associated with the peacock‟s tail and how it came to have eyes on it. When Zeus fell in love with Io, a nymph and priestess of Hera in Argos, he turned her into a cow to hide her from Hera when the goddess almost caught the two. Hera was suspicious nonetheless and tasked the giant Argus with keeping an eye on the heifer. Argus had a hundred eyes, which made him an excellent guard. (He is also sometimes known as Argus Panoptes, the epithet Panoptes meaning “all seeing.”) Argus tied Io to an olive tree in Nemea, and Zeus dispatched Hermes to free the nymph from the giant. Hermes obliged and came to Earth disguised as a shepherd. He spent a day telling Argus stories and playing reed pipes until all of

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Argus‟ eyes became tired. When the giant fell asleep, Hermes hit him with a stone and killed him. To honour Argus‟ memory, Hera placed his eyes on her sacred bird‟s tail.

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Name: Pegasus Meaning: Pegasus, the winged horse IAU abbreviation: Peg Location: Northern hemisphere Brightest star: Enif (Epsilon pegasi); it marks the horseâ&#x20AC;&#x;s muzzle. Speciality: It was one among the 48 constellations listed by Ptolemy. It is the 7th largest constellation and occupies an area of 1121 square degrees. The meteor shower associated

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with this constellation is July Pegasids. Alpha(Marhab), Beta (Scheat) and Gamma (Algenib) together with Alpha Andromedae (Alpheratz) form the large asterism known as the „Square of Pegasus.‟ Mythology: In Greek mythology, Pegasus is a white winged horse that sprang from the neck of the Gorgon Medusa when Perseus beheaded her. Medusa was a beautiful young woman before she was turned into a monster by the goddess Athena after being caught being defiled by the sea god Poseidon in the goddess‟ temple. Athena turned Medusa‟s hair into snakes and made her face so ugly that anyone who looked at her immediately turned to stone. Perseus was sent to kill Medusa by King Polydectes of Seriphus, who was the brother of Dictys, the man who took Perseus and his mother Danae in and raised Perseus as his own son. Polydectes wanted Danae for himself and Perseus stood in his way because he defended his mother from the king‟s advances. He did not expect the hero to come back from his mission alive.

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When Perseus killed Medusa, Pegasus and the warrior Chrysaor sprang from her neck, both of them offspring of Poseidon. The name Pegasus is derived from the Greek pegai which means “springs” or “waters,” and Chrysaor‟s name means “the golden sword.” When he was born, Pegasus flew away to Mount Helicon in Boeotia, where the Muses lived, and he befriended them. He created a spring that was named Hippocrene by striking the ground with his hoof. The name Hippocrene means “the horse‟s fountain.” It was said that those who drank from the spring were blessed with the gift to write poetry. The most famous myth involving Pegasus is the one of Bellerophon, the hero who was sent by King Iobates of Lycia to kill the Chimaera, a monster that breathed fire and was devastating the king‟s land. Bellerophon found Pegasus and tamed him using a golden bridle given to him by the goddess Athena. Then he swooped down on the Chimaera from the sky and killed the monster with his lance and arrows. After this and several other heroic deeds for King

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Iobates, Bellerophon let the successes get to his head. Riding Pegasus, he tried to fly to Olympus and join the gods. He didnâ&#x20AC;&#x;t succeed. He fell off the horse and back to Earth. Pegasus did however make it to Olympus. There, Zeus used the horse to carry his thunder and lightning, and eventually placed him among the constellations. The constellation Pegasus is depicted with only the top half of the horse, and it is nevertheless one of the largest constellations in the sky, seventh in size.

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Name: Perseus Meaning: Hero who saved Andromeda IAU abbreviation: Per Location: Northern sky next to Andromeda Brightest star: Mirfak (Alpha Persei) Speciality: The galactic plane of the Milky way passes through Perseus. It is the 24th largest constellation and occupies an area of 615 square degrees. The meteor showers associated

with this constellation are Perseids and

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September Perseids. The constellation is best known for its annual Perseid meteor shower. It was one among the 48 constellations listed by Ptolemy. Mythology: The constellation Perseus represents the Greek hero Perseus in the sky and is one of the six constellations associated with the myth of Perseus. Perseus was the son of Danae, daughter of King Acrisius. Acrisius ruled Argos and after an oracle foretold him that he would die at the hand of his own grandson, he had locked away Danae in a dungeon. Zeus fell in love with her and took the form of golden rain to visit her. When the rain fell into her lap, Danae got pregnant. Acrisius found out about the pregnancy and, once Perseus was born, the king locked both his daughter and grandson into a wooden chest and cast them out to sea. Danae prayed to Zeus and the god heard her. The chest washed ashore within a few days, and Perseus and his mother found themselves on the island of Seriphos. A fisherman called Dictys found them and took them home with him. He raised Perseus as his own son.

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However, their troubles did not end there. Dictys had a brother, King Polydectes, who wanted Danae for himself. Perseus defended her from the kingâ&#x20AC;&#x;s advances and Polydectes came up with a plan that would put Perseus out of the picture. He made up a story about being engaged to another woman, Hippodameia, who was the daughter of King Oenomaus of Elis. He asked everyone to give him and his bride horses as a wedding present. Since Perseus did not have any horses and could not afford to buy one, the king sent the youngster to bring him the head of the Gorgon Medusa. Medusa was one of the three hideous sisters, who had tusks, hands of brass, golden wings, and faces covered with dragon scales. They were daughters of the sea god Phorcys and his sister Ceto. Their gaze could turn anyone who looked at them into stone. Medusa was the only mortal sister. She had been condemned to a life of ugliness by the goddess Athena after Poseidon had ravished Medusa in the goddessâ&#x20AC;&#x; temple. Before the curse, she was known for her beauty, especially of her hair.

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Once cursed, she had snakes for hair, which made her distinguishable from the other two Gorgons. Polydectes expected Perseus to die in the attempt to kill the Gorgon, but he underestimated Perseusâ&#x20AC;&#x; allies on Olympus. Athena gave the hero a bronze shield and Hephaestus made him a sword of diamond. Hades gave him a helmet that made him invisible, and Hermes gifted him with winged sandals. Helped by Athena, Perseus found the Gorgon sisters on Mount Atlas. The Gorgonsâ&#x20AC;&#x; sisters, called the Graeae, were standing guard. The three of them had only one eye and shared it among themselves. Perseus took the eye and threw it away. Following the trail of people turned to stone by Medusa and her sisters, Perseus found the Gorgons. He was wearing his helmet which made him invisible and he was able to sneak up on the sisters. Once they had fallen asleep, Perseus decapitated Medusa using his shield to see her reflection, as he could not look at her directly without turning into stone. The myth goes, when Medusa died the winged horse

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Pegasus and the warrior Chrysaor, fully armed, sprang fully grown from her body. They were the offspring of the Gorgon and the sea god Poseidon. On the way home, Perseus stopped to rest in Atlas‟ kingdom. Atlas refused him hospitality and Perseus used Medusa‟s head to turn him into stone, or into the mountain range that bears his name. Later, Perseus came across the princess Andromeda, chained to a rock and left to die by her parents, King Cepheus and Queen Cassiopeia, to appease the sea monster Cetus. Perseus rescued Andromeda and took her home with him. Once home in Seriphos, Perseus found his mother and foster father Dictys hiding from Polydectes in a temple. Perseus went to see the king and, greeted with hostility, he used the Gorgon‟s head to turn Polydectes and his followers to stone. He appointed Dictys king of Seriphos. The old prophecy about King Acrisius being killed by his grandson came true eventually, but the king‟s death came as an accident. At an athletics contest, Perseus threw a discus that accidentally hit Acrisius and killed him.

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Andromeda and Perseus were married and had many children, among them Perses, who was said to be an ancestor to the kings of Persia. Perseus and Andromeda lie next to each other in the sky, with her parents Cepheus and Cassiopeia nearby. Cetus, the sea monster, also lies in the vicinity, as does Pegasus, the winged horse.

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Name: Phoenix Meaning: Phoenix IAU abbreviation: Phe Location: Southern sky Brightest star: Alpha Phoenicis (Also called „Ankaa,‟ an Arabic word meaning „the Phoenix‟) Speciality: It is the 37th largest constellation and occupies an area of 469 square degrees. The meteor shower associated with this constellation is Phoenicids. It was

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depicted on a celestial atlas by Johann Bayer in his Uranometria (1603). It was originally introduced by Petrus Plancius, Dutch astronomer and cartographer. It is named after the Phoenix, the mythical bird that rises from its own ashes. Mythology: The mythical bird phoenix is known as the sacred fire bird across many mythologies: Greek, Persian, Arabic, Egyptian, Roman, Turkish, Indian and Chinese among others. The phoenix was said to have resembled an eagle with purple, red and gold feathers, and a scarlet and gold tail. Ovid wrote in his Metamorphoses that the bird lived for 500 years. When it reached the end of its life span, the phoenix would build itself a nest at the top of a palm tree, using incense and cinnamon bark, then ignite the nest and die in the fire. A new bird would be born from its fatherâ&#x20AC;&#x;s body and, according to legend, when the young phoenix was strong enough, it would take the nest and carry it to the temple of

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Hyperion, who was one of the 12 Titan deities and the lord of light. In another version of the tale, the young phoenix would embalm the ashes of the dead one in an egg made of myrrh and carry the egg to the Egyptian city Heliopolis. The name Heliopolis means â&#x20AC;&#x153;sun cityâ&#x20AC;? in Greek.

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Name: Pictor Meaning: Painter IAU abbreviation: Pic Location: Souhern celestial hemisphere Brightest star: Alpha pictoris Speciality: It was one of the 12 constellations drawn up in the 18th century by French astronomer Nicolas Louis de Lacaille. It is the 59th largest constellation and occupies an area of 247 square degrees. Pictor has attracted attention

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because of its second biggest star, which is surrounded by an unusual dust disk rich in carbon, as well as an exoplanet (extrasolar planet). Its early name, Equuleus Pictoris (The painterâ&#x20AC;&#x;s easel) was later shortened to Pictor.

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Name: Pisces â&#x2122;&#x201C; Meaning: Fishes IAU abbreviation: Psc Location: Northern celestial hemisphere Brightest star: Alpherg (Eta piscium) Speciality: It is one of the 12 Zodiac constellations. The meteor shower associated with this constellation is Piscids.

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Mythology:. After the Olympian gods had defeated the Titans and the Giants, Gaia, or Mother Earth, coupled with Tartarus, the region of the Underworld where Zeus held the Titans imprisoned, and they had Typhon, the scariest monster the world had ever seen. Typhon had a hundred dragonâ&#x20AC;&#x;s heads, with fire blazing from all his eyes. Gaia sent Typhon to defeat the gods. Pan was the first to see him coming. He alerted the other gods and then transformed himself into a goat-fish and jumped into the river Euphrates to escape the monster. The goat-fish is represented by the constellation Capricornus. The goddess Aphrodite and her son Eros called to the water nymphs for help and jumped into the river. In one version of the legend, two fishes came to the rescue and carried Aphrodite and Eros on their backs to safety. In another version, the mother and son were themselves transformed into fish

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Name: Piscis Austrinus Meaning: Southern fish IAU abbreviation: psA Location: Southern celestial hemisphere Brightest star: Fomalhaut; it is one of the brightest star in the night sky. Speciality: It was one among the 48 constellations listed by Ptolemy. It is a small and faint constellation. It is the 60 th largest constellation and occupies an area of 245 square degrees.

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Mythology: It was associated with the myth about the Syrian fertility goddess Atargatis, who fell into a lake near the river Euphrates in what is today northern Syria, and was rescued by a large fish. The goddess would later punish all those who ate fish, but her priests were allowed to eat it every day. In a different version of the story, she deliberately threw herself into the lake, attempting to commit suicide after having an affair with a man and bearing his child. In this version, she killed the man and abandoned her daughter, and was turned into a mermaid in the lake. Her daughter was brought up by doves and grew up to be Semiramis, the Assyrian queen. The Greeks knew the constellation as the Great Fish and depicted it as swallowing the water poured by Aquaris, the water bearer. The two fishes represented by Pisces constellation were said to be the offspring of the Great Fish. In the tale, the goddess Aphrodite took the form of a fish to hide from the monster Typhon. She and her son Eros and leapt into the river Euphrates and begged the river nymphs

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for help. Two fish bore them up and the goddess later honoured them by transforming them into the constellation Pisces. Egyptians also associated the constellation with a fish, one that saved the life of the goddess Isis. To honour the fish, she placed it into the sky as a constellation, and did the same with its offspring.

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Name:Puppis Meaning: Stern of the Argonauts‟ ship IAU abbreviation: pup Location: Southern sky Brightest star: Naos (which means „ship‟ in Greek) Speciality: Puppis, the poop deck was originally part of an over large constellation, the ship of Jason and the Argonauts, Argo Navis, which was divided into three parts, the other two being Carina (the keel and hull) and vela (the sails of

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the ship). It is the 20th largest constellation and occupies an area of 673 square degrees. The meteor showers associated with this constellation are pi puppids, zeta puppids, puppidvelids. Argo Navis was first catalogued by Ptolemy. It was divided into three smaller constellations by Nicolas Louis de Lacaille.

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Name: Pyxis Meaning: Compass of the Argonautsâ&#x20AC;&#x; ship IAU abbreviation: Pyx Location: Southern sky Brightest star: Alpha pyxidis Speciality: It is a small and faint constellation. It is the 65th largest constellation and occupies an area of 221 square degrees. It represents a marinerâ&#x20AC;&#x;s compass. The constellation represents the magnetic compass used by navigators and

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seamen. It was one of the 12 constellations drawn up in the 18th century by French astronomer Nicolas Louis de Lacaille.

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Name: Reticulum Meaning: Net IAU abbreviation: Ret Location: Southern sky Brightest star: Alpha reticuli Speciality: It represents the small net at the focus of an eyepiece on the telescope which makes it possible to measure the position of stars. It ranks 82nd in size and occupies an area of 114 square degrees. It was introduced by

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German astronomer Issac Habrecht II in 1621 who originally named it Rhombus. Nicolas Louis de Lacaille changed its name to Reticulum in the 18th century.

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Name: Sagitta Meaning: Arrow IAU abbreviation: Sge Location: Located to the North of Equator (Northern hemisphere) Brightest star: Gamma Sagittae Speciality: It was one among the 48 constellations listed by Ptolemy. Sagitta can be seen from every location on Earth except within the Antarctic circle. It ranks 86th in size

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and occupies an area of 80 square degrees. It represents Hercules‟ arrow in Greek mythology. Mythology: Sagitta constellation is usually associated with the arrow that Heracles used to kill the eagle that Zeus sent to gnaw Prometheus‟ liver. In mythology, Prometheus moulded men and women out of clay in gods‟ likeness, and gave them fire that he had stolen from the gods. Zeus decided to punish him for this, and chained him to Mount Caucasus, where the eagle perpetually gnawed his liver, which would always grow again at night. The eagle is represented by the neighbouring constellation Aquilla. Heracles found Prometheus during one of his journeys, killed the eagle with an arrow, and freed Prometheus.

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Name: Sagittarius â&#x2122;? Meaning: Archer IAU abbreviation: Sgr Location: Southern celestial hemisphere Brightest star: Kaus Australis Speciality: It is one of the 12 Zodiac constellations. It was one among the 48 constellations listed by Ptolemy. It is represented as a Centaur pulling back a bow. It is the 15 th largest constellation and occupies an area of 867 square degrees. The centre of the Milky way lies in the westernmost

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part of Sagittarius. Its brightest stars form an asterism known as the â&#x20AC;&#x17E;Teapot.â&#x20AC;&#x; Mythology: In Greek mythology, Sagittarius represents a centaur, a half human, half horse creature with the torso of a man and the body and four legs of a horse. The centaur is depicted as aiming an arrow toward the heart of the neighbouring constellation Scorpio, represented by the red supergiant star Antares. Sometimes Sagittarius is wrongly identified as the centaur Chiron, represented by the constellation Centaurus. Sagittarius

constellation

has

its

roots

Sumerian

mythology. Eratosthenes associated it with Crotus, a mythical creature with two feet and a satyrâ&#x20AC;&#x;s tail, who was the nurse to the nine Muses, daughters of Zeus. Eratosthenes argued that the constellation really represented a satyr and not a centaur. According to the Roman author Hyginus, Crotus was the son of Pan and the archer the constellation was named after. Crotus invented archery and lived on Mount Helicon. Because he was close to the Muses, they were the ones who asked Zeus to place him in the sky.

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Name: Scorpius ♏ Meaning: Scorpion IAU abbreviation: Sco Location: Southern celestial hemisphere Brightest star: Antares; 16th brightest star in the night sky; Antares marks the heart of the Scorpion. The name Antares comes from an Ancient Greek word which means „anti- Ares,‟ „rival of Mars‟ or „like Mars‟ referring to the similarity of the Star‟s red hue to that of the Planet Mars.

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Speciality: It is the 33rd largest constellation and occupies an area of 497 square degrees. It was one among the 48 constellations listed by Ptolemy. It is located near the centre of the milky way. The meteor showers associated with this constellation are Alpha Scorpiids and Omega scorpiids. Mythology: In Greek mythology, the constellation Scorpius was identified with the scorpion that killed Orion, the mythical hunter. The two constellations lie opposite each other in the sky, and Orion is said to be fleeing from the scorpion as it sets just as Scorpius rises. In one version of the myth, Orion tried to ravish the goddess Artemis and she sent the scorpion to kill him. In another version, it was the Earth that sent the scorpion after Orion had boasted that he could kill any wild beast.

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Name: Sculptor Meaning: Sculptorâ&#x20AC;&#x;s tool IAU abbreviation: Scl Location: Southern sky Brightest star: Alpha Sculptoris Speciality: It is the 36th largest constellation and occupies an area of 475 square degrees. It was one of the 12 constellations drawn up in the 18th century by French

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astronomer Nicolas Louis de Lacaille. It is a small and faint constellation.

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Name: Scutum Meaning: Shield IAU abbreviation: Sct Location: Southern sky Brightest star: Alpha scuti Speciality: It was introduced by Polish astronomer Johannes Hevelius in the 17th century. He named it as Scutum

sobiescianum

shield

Sobieski,

commemorate the Kingâ&#x20AC;&#x;s victory in the Battle of Vienna in

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1683. The meteor shower associated with this constellation is June Scutids. It ranks 84th in size and occupies an area of 109 square degrees. The space probe pioneer 11 is moving in the direction of this constellation.

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Name: Serpens Meaning: Serpent IAU abbreviation: Ser Location: Northern hemisphere Brightest star: Unukalhai (Alpha serpentis) Speciality: It is one among the 48 constellations listed by Ptolemy. It is the 23rd largest constellation and occupies an area of 637 square degrees. It is unique among the modern constellations in being split into two non- contagious parts,

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Serpens caput (serpent head) to the west and Serpens Cauda (Serpent Tail) to the east. Between these 2 halves lies the constellation Ophiuchus. Serpens contains one of the best known nebulae in the sky, the Eagle nebula, which inturn contains the pillars of creation, a star forming region imaged by Hubble. Mythology: In Greek mythology, Serpens constellation represents a giant snake held by the healer Asclepius, represented by Ophiuchus constellation. Asclepius is usually depicted holding the top half of the snake in his left hand and the tail in his right hand. Asclepius was the son of the god Apollo who was said to be able to bring people back from the dead with his healing powers. In one of the stories, he killed a snake and saw it be brought back to life by a herb that another snake placed on it. It was said that Asclepius later used the same technique. The brightest star in the constellation, Unukalhai (Alpha Serpentis), represents the serpentâ&#x20AC;&#x;s neck, and Alya (Theta Serpentis) marks the tip of the snakeâ&#x20AC;&#x;s tail.

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Name: Sextans Meaning: Sextant IAU abbreviation: sex Location: Southern sky Brightest star: Alpha Sextantis Speciality: It was introduced by Johannes Hevelius. It represents an instrument that Hevelius made frequent use of in his observations of stars. It was destroyed in a fire at his observatory in 1679. It is the 47th largest constellation and

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occupies an area of 314 square degrees. The meteor shower associated with this constellation is Sextantids.

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Name: Taurus â&#x2122;&#x2030; Meaning: Bull IAU abbreviation: Tau Location: Northern celestial hemisphere Brightest star: Aldebaran Speciality: It is one of the 12 Zodiac constellations. It is one of the oldest constellations, dating back to at least the Early Bronze age when it marked the location of the sun during the spring equinox. It is the 17th largest constellation

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and occupies an area of 797 square degrees. The meteor showers associated with this constellation are Taurids and Beta Taurids. Taurus hosts two of the nearest open clusters to Earth, the Pleiades and the Hyades, both of which are visible to the naked eye. In the northwest part of Taurus is the Supernova crab Nebula. One of the closest regions of active star formation, the Taurus- Auriga complex, crosses into the northern part of the constellation. Mythology:

According

Greek

mythology,

the

constellation Taurus commemorates the god Zeus changing himself into a beautiful white Bull to win the affections of the Phoenician princess Europa. After Europa hopped onto the Bullâ&#x20AC;&#x;s back, the Bull swam across the Mediterranean Sea, taking Europa all the way to the island of Crete. Zeus and Europa became the parents of Minos, the legendary king of Crete.

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Name: Telescopium Meaning: Telescope IAU abbreviation: Tel Location: Southern celestial hemisphere Brightest star: Alpha Telescopii Speciality: It represents a telescope. It was one of the 12 constellations drawn up in the 18th century by French astronomer Nicolas Louis de Lacaille. It is the 57th largest constellation and occupies an area of 252 square degrees.

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Name: Triangulum Meaning: Triangle IAU abbreviation: Tri Location: It is a small constellation in the northern sky. Brightest star: Beta trianguli Speciality: It was one among the 48 constellations listed by Ptolemy. It ranks 78th in size and occupies an area of 132 square degrees. It is the home to the Triangulum galaxy, one of the nearest and best known galaxies in the night sky.

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Name: Triangulum australe Meaning: Southern triangle IAU abbreviation: TrA Location: It is the small constellation in the southern celestial hemisphere Brightest star: Alpha Trianguli Australis (Atria)

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Speciality: It was first depicted by Petrus Plancius in 1589. It ranks 83rd in size and occupies an area of 110 square degrees.

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Name: Tucana Meaning: Toucan IAU abbreviation: Tuc Location: Southern sky Brightest star: Alpha Tucanae Speciality: It is named after the Toucan, a South American bird. It was one among the 12 constellations depicted by Petrus Plancius. It is the 48th largest constellation and occupies an area of 295 square degrees.

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Name: Ursa Major Meaning: Big bear IAU abbreviation: uMa Location: Northern sky Brightest star: Alioth (Epsilon Ursae majoris) Speciality: It is the 3rd largest of the modern constellations. It occupies an area of 1280 square degrees,

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the meteor showers associated with this constellation are Alpha Ursa majorids, Leonids- ursids. It is known from the asterism of its main 7 stars which has been called the Big Dipper. Ursa Major along with asterisms that it incorporates is significant to the world as a symbol of the North. Its depiction on the flag of Alaska is a modern example of such symbolism. It is the largest northern constellation. Mythology: Ancient Greeks associated the constellation with the myth of Callisto, the beautiful nymph who had sworn a vow of chastity to the goddess Artemis. Zeus saw the nymph one day and fell in love. The two had a son, and named him Arcas. Artemis had already banished Callisto when she had learned about the nymph‟s pregnancy and broken vow. However, it was Zeus‟ jealous wife Hera, who was not amused by her husband‟s philandering, who would do even more damage. Angered by Zeus‟ betrayal, she turned Callisto into a bear. Callisto lived as a bear for the next 15 years, roaming the forest and always running and hiding from hunters. One day,

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her son Arcas was walking in the forest and the two came face to face. At the sight of the bear, Arcas quickly drew his spear, scared. Seeing the scene from Olympus, Zeus intervened to prevent disaster. He sent a whirlwind that carried both Callisto and Arcas into the heavens, where he turned Arcas into theconstellation Bootes, the herdsman, and Callisto into Ursa Major. (In another version, Arcas becomes the constellation Ursa Minor.) This only further infuriated Hera and she persuaded her foster parents Oceanus and Tethys never to let the bear bathe in the northern waters. This, according to the legend, is why Ursa Major never sets below the horizon in mid-northern latitudes. In a different version of the tale, it is not Hera but Artemis who transforms Callisto into a bear. Artemis does this to punish the nymph for breaking her vow of chastity to the goddess. Many years later, both Callisto and Arcas get captured in the forest and taken to King Lycaon as a gift. The mother and son take refuge in the temple of Zeus, where trespassing is punishable by death, but the god intervenes and saves them, placing them both in the sky.

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There is an entirely different Greek myth associated with Ursa Major, the one about Adrasteia. Adrasteia was one of the nymphs who took care of Zeus when he was very young. Zeusâ&#x20AC;&#x; father Cronus was told by an oracle that one of his children would eventually overthrow him and, fearful of the prophecy, Cronus swallowed all his children until Zeus was born. Rhea, Zeusâ&#x20AC;&#x; mother, smuggled their youngest child to the island of Crete, where the nymphs Adrasteia and Ida nursed young Zeus for a year. In this version of the myth, Ida is associated with the constellation Ursa Minor. Amaltheia, the goat that nursed Zeus, was placed in the sky as the bright star Capella in the constellation Auriga. The prophecy eventually came true; Zeus overthrew Cronus and freed his brothers Hades and Poseidon and sisters Demeter, Hera and Hestia.

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Name: Ursa minor Meaning: Little bear IAU abbreviation: umi Location: Northern sky Brightest star: Polaris; it is the brightest â&#x20AC;&#x17E;Cepheid variable starâ&#x20AC;&#x; (that pulsates radially, varying in both diameter and temperature and producing changes in brightness with a well defined stable period and amplitude) star in the night sky.

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Speciality: The meteor shower associated with this constellation is Ursids. It was one among the 48 constellations listed by Ptolemy. It has traditionally been important for navigation particularly by mariners, because of Polaris being the North Pole star. It is the 56 th largest constellation and occupies an area of 256 square degrees. Mythology: Ursa Minor is usually associated with two different myths. In one, the constellation represents Ida, the nymph who took care of Zeus on the island of Crete when he was small, along with Adrasteia, the nymph represented by the larger constellation Ursa Major. Zeusâ&#x20AC;&#x; mother Rhea hid Zeus on the island when he was very young to protect him from his father Cronus. Cronus, fearful of an old prophecy that said that one of his children would overthrow him, swallowed five of his children after they were born. When Zeus was born, Rhea tricked Cronus into swallowing a stone instead, and Zeus eventually fulfilled the prophecy. He freed his brothers Poseidon and Hades and sisters Hera, Hestia and Demeter, and became the supreme god of the Olympians.

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In a different myth, the constellation represents Arcas, son of Zeus and the nymph Callisto. Callisto had sworn a vow of chastity to Artemis, but was later unable to resist Zeus‟ advances and the two had a child, Arcas. When Zeus‟ wife Hera found out about the betrayal and the child, she turned the nymph into a bear. Callisto spent the next 15 years wandering in the woods and avoiding hunters. One day, she came face to face with her son. Scared, Arcas drew a spear, ready to kill the bear. Luckily, Zeus saw the scene and intervened before it was too late. He sent a whirlwind that scooped the mother and son up to the heavens, where Callisto became Ursa Major and Arcas, Ursa Minor. Arcas, however, is more frequently associated with the constellation Bootes, the herdsman. In a slightly different version of the myth, it is the goddess Artemis who turns Callisto into a bear for breaking her chastity vow. In an older myth, the seven stars that form the little Dipper were said to represent the Hesperides, seven daughters of Atlas, who tended to Hera‟s orchard (Garden of the Hesperides) where a tree of golden, immortality-giving apples grew.

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Name: Vela Meaning: Sail of the Argonauts ship IAU abbreviation: Vel Location: Southern sky Brightest star: Gamma velorum Speciality: It was originally part of a larger constellation, the ship, Argo Navis, which was later divided into 3 parts: vela, carina and puppis by French Astronomer Nicolas Louis de Lacaille. The meteor showers associated with this constellation are Delta velids, Gamma velids and Puppid

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velids. It was one among the 48 constellations listed by Ptolemy.

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Name: Virgo â&#x2122;? Meaning: Virgin IAU abbreviation: Vir Location: Southern sky Brightest star: Spica (Alpha virginis) Speciality: It is one of the 12 Zodiac constellations. It is the second largest constellation in the sky and the largest constellation in the Zodiac. It occupies an area of 1294 square degrees. The meteor showers associated with this

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constellation are Virginid and Mu Virginids. It was one among the 48 constellations listed by Ptolemy. It contains the autumn equinox point. Mythology: The constellation Virgo is usually associated with the Greek goddess of justice, Dike. Dike was the daughter of Zeus and Greek Titaness Themis. Virgo is usually depicted with angel-like wings, with an ear of wheat in her left hand, marked by the bright star Spica. She is located next to Libra, the constellation representing the scales of justice. Dike was also sometimes known as Astraeia, daughter of Astraeus, considered father of the stars, and Eos, goddess of the dawn. In Greek mythology, Dike lived in the Golden Age of mankind. She was born a mortal and placed on Earth to rule over human justice. The Golden Age was marked by prosperity and peace, everlasting spring, and humans never knowing old age. When Zeus fulfilled the old prophecy and overthrew his father, this marked the beginning of the Silver Age, which was not as prosperous. Zeus introduced the four seasons and humans no longer honoured the gods as they had used to. Dike gave a speech to the entire race, warning

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them about the dangers of leaving behind the ideals of their predecessors and saying worse was yet to come. Then she flew to the mountains, turning her back on humans. When the Bronze and Iron Ages came and humans started warring among themselves, Dike left the Earth altogether, and flew to the heavens.

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Name: Volans Meaning: Flying fish IAU abbreviation: Vol Location: Southern sky Brightest star: Beta Volantis Speciality: It was one of the 12 constellations created by Petrus Plancius. It is the 76th largest constellation and occupies an area 141 square degrees.

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Name: Vulpecula Meaning: Fox IAU abbreviation: Vul Location: It is a faint constellation in the northern sky Brightest star: Anser (Alpha Vulpeculae) Speciality: It is the 55th largest constellation and occupies an area of 268 square degrees. It was introduced by the Polish astronomer Johannes Hevelius. The consetellation was depicted as a fox holding a goose in its jaws.

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References: Mythologies: Constellations-guide.com Illustrations: A chart of the constellations and signs that make up the zodiac. Credit: NASA Johannes Heveliusâ&#x20AC;&#x; Uranographia (1690). Credit: NASA/Chandra Credit: Sidney Hall/United States Library of Congress Johan Bode Star Atlas The constellation Camaeleon (Chamaeleon) as depicted in Johann Gabriel Doppelmayrâ&#x20AC;&#x;s Atlas Coelestis, ca. 1742. The Atlas Coelestis of John Flamsteed (1729) The constellation Phoenix as represented by Hevelius in his Firmamentum Sobiescianum sive Uranographia (1687).